986 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8226828ce1fc9b31efb8067262468f26.mp3 e311f844e41ecd4205db6e6e3f63fc9b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost XI Series Faith's Foundation Scripture Text Genesis 22:12, 14, Hebrews 11:17-19 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880807 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-08-07 Title A name given to the resource God's Providence: Human Testing Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on August 7, 1988 entitled "God's Providence: Human Testing", as part of the series "Faith's Foundation", on the occasion of Pentecost XI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 22:12, 14, Hebrews 11:17-19. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d81657a9dcc8de15ae968cccfff522d9.mp3 11c3ddb233b365b45c95120f6e2f3de9 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cc6ea7223b561166753b8b9955aa45ff.pdf 786789877e5075c521416f4232de558e PDF Text Text The Election of Grace: A Particular People for a Universal Purpose From the summer sermon series: Faith’s Foundations Text: Genesis 11:30; 12:1-3; Romans 11:32-36 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan July 31, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon Now Sarai was barren... Genesis 11:30 Now the Lord said to Abram, Go... and I will make of you a great nation... Genesis 12:1-3 For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that He may have mercy upon all... from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 11:32-36 Reading a textbook on preaching this week, I came across a statement by a Black theologian and preacher which struck me. He was making the point that Black culture has believed strongly in the providence of God and this deep trust has kept them alive through much oppression and suffering. Henry Mitchell claims that what has been true for Blacks is universally true. He says, ... We find the total spectrum of humanity that wishes really to live whole and abundantly must have a belief system to support that sort of thing. I share Mitchell's conviction. That is why we are spending successive Sunday mornings examining Faith's Foundations. My concern is deeply pastoral. I am not really interested in preparing you to write a crackerjack of a theological exam; I am interested in preparing you to live well, abundantly, with confidence and hope. Hope and confidence and a sense of wellbeing need a solid foundation if they will remain, no matter what circumstances surround you. Faith needs foundation. There are a few crucial truths which, if held in deep trust, enable one to negotiate life's passage. For example, "In the beginning God ..." © Grand Valley State University   �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 2   That is where the Bible begins. Genesis 1 is intentionally the opening statement of the Judeo-Christian faith. It is our answer to the question, "Why is there something, rather than nothing?" It enables us to sing, "This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought..." But why, if this is my Father's world, is there tragedy, toil and tears? Chapters two and three tell us that God's gracious intention was that life should be characterized by freedom, vocation and boundaries - the creature living before the Creator in trust and obedience. Failing that, there is judgment, sorrow and loss, alienation, fear and guilt. Well, then, will the human "No" defeat the "Yes" of God? Will the Creator's purpose be ruined by the creature's grasping at control in self-assertion? Chapter three gave hints of grace even in judgment. And returning to the opening creed of creation, which runs through chapter 2:4a, we find God's verdict on Creation: it is good. And we read God rested on the seventh day and blessed it and made it holy, a sign that God's design and order and purpose would finally be realized. We read the vision of Isaiah 65 - a new heaven and a new earth, no more would one toil in vain or raise children for misfortune ... "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together ... They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain." And we heard the sound of the angel's voice in John's vision, "Behold the dwelling of God is with his people." No tears or crying or pain or death anymore. In the vision there was a crystal river on whose banks grew a tree whose leaves were for the healing of the nations and God's people need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord will give them light and they shall reign forevermore. With that beautiful vision of Creation's consummation, the People of God have lived in hope trusting that the best is yet to be, the future is as bright as the promise of God. God's "Yes" will not fail. The Sabbath Rest of the Bible's opening passage foreshadows the Rest of Creation in the Shalom of God. The first eleven chapters of Genesis were placed as a preface to Israel's story. That story is centered in God's mighty saving action that brought them to freedom from Egypt's bondage. But they knew their particular story was part of a larger story - the story of God's dealing with the whole Creation and the totality of humankind. The first eleven chapters are universal in scope just as the consummation in Revelations is universal. Israel's story is the story of a particular people, but it is not, nor can it be, isolated from the whole creation and all nations. Israel's faith is that the God of its salvation is the Creator of all who will bring all things to consummation. The story of the Christian Church is one with the story of Israel. Within the movement of universal history there is interwoven the history of a particular people - Israel and the Church and the history of that particular people is really the focus of the one story of the Bible. But that particular history is not an end in itself; it is a means to a greater end – the Creator's reclaiming of Creation gone awry. © Grand Valley State University �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 3   We have seen in Genesis 1 the Creator's intention for Creation. We have seen in Revelations the Creator's victory - the consummation of the purpose of Creation. But, you may ask - How do we get from the majestic image of Genesis 1 to the moving vision of Revelation 21 and 22? This message will attempt to answer that question - again, not simply to satisfy your curiosity but, rather, in order to give you a sense of what God is doing in our world, in our history, in our lives. We will focus on two passages of scripture as we seek to connect the Garden with the City of God. In our biblical study let us begin with Genesis 11:27-12:3. Genesis 11:27F gives us the genealogy of Abraham. We tend to skip scriptural genealogies, but this one is critical. The Genesis writer is forming a link between universal history - the history of all humankind about which he writes in the first 11 chapters and the particular history he is about to record, the history of the Patriarchs, the forebearers of Israel. In Genesis 11:30 we are told that Abram's wife Sarai is barren. This is no piece of Bible trivia; rather, this is a very intentional notation. Abraham and Sarah are called by God to go out from their family and homeland and go to a place God will show them. God gives them a promise: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name so great that it will be used in blessings." And the promise continues, In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. With the call of Abraham we have the most significant break in the Scripture - a break of greater significance than the break between the Old and New Testaments. Genesis 12-50 gives us the story of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and forms the introduction to the creation of Israel as a nation in the Exodus event. This is the beginning of the story of a particular people called for a universal purpose. This particular people will be the agent through which God will reclaim a creation gone awry. What was the biblical writer saying by connecting the one called Abraham to the human family spoken of in the first eleven chapters? Was he not saying that after the dismal response of the human family to the Creator's call to live in freedom with vocation within the boundaries set by the Creator, the failure of the creature to trust and obey, God was now instituting a new strategy whereby the purposes with which He created would finally be realized in spite of the failure of the creature? Set on the background of the stories of God and all humankind in the first eleven chapters, we can see in God's call of Abraham the method God will use to reclaim © Grand Valley State University �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 4   the Creation gone awry. And against the background of the Creation stories we can understand the significance of the note in 11:30 that Sarai was barren. The one who calls the world into being will now call a special people into being. Abraham and Sarah are connected to the whole human family - so the genealogy affirms. But what God is about to do is not something possible through natural, normal human agency. Sarai is barren. The human story recorded in Genesis 1-11 ends in barrenness, in hopelessness. There is nowhere to go. God must create this new family by the miracle of God's power and grace. God will give a child to a barren woman and through this miracle birth, God will create an alternative community - a new community by which finally God will restore Creation to its unity and bring about Shalom. On the black background of the stories reflecting universal history, God calls a man and woman who are childless and promises to make from them a great nation that will bring blessing to all nations. The God Who creates the world now creates Israel. God creates Israel in order that, through Israel, God will reclaim all Creation. Abraham - contrary to the stories in Genesis 1-11 (Adam and Eve, Cain, the Flood story, the Tower of Babel) believes God and acts in faith on the promise of God. God says, "Go." Abraham goes. This is God's counter-strategy to human rebellion. When human faithlessness leads to barrenness and thus hopelessness, God calls one family to create an alternative community through which to bring salvation to the world. This God is not and will not be defeated. This God will not accept the human "No." This God will now begin a counter-offensive in order finally to establish His "Yes" to Creation. The call of God to Abraham is spoken of in the Bible as the Election of Grace. It is an election - a choice of a particular people. It is of grace - One was chosen out of the human family with no explanation given, for no reason in the one chosen. It is of God because the call is spoken to, the promise made to human barrenness. Election is the foundation of human salvation; it is the ground of human hope, the basis of human purpose. Election is a biblical teaching that has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. Israel had a sense of being God's elect people - and she was. Israel had a sense of being special - and she was. But Israel misunderstood God's election. She came to think of herself as God's special people to the exclusion of the nations rather than seeing in her election a calling to be a light to the nations. Israel became proud of her election rather than understanding that God's election is cause for humility, © Grand Valley State University �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 5   for God chooses not on the basis of merit, but on the basis of grace alone - it is pure gift. Rather than awe, humility, gratitude, Israel manifested pride and arrogance. Rather than sensing that she existed for the sake of the world, she set herself over against the world. Rather than seeing in her election God's universal purpose, Israel claimed God's grace as her particular possession. Rather than seeing in her election God's inclusive love, Israel claimed God's love as her exclusive possession. The History of God and Israel is spoken of in scripture as a covenantal relationship. The Old Testament describes the history of the covenant relationship and describes thus the Broken Covenant. Still, hope is not lost. Still, there is the conviction that God will not give up. There will be a new covenant. The New Testament is really the story of the New Covenant. Paul was a person of that old covenant who came to see in Jesus the promised Messiah, the anointed one promised in the Old Testament. He saw how the New Covenant was instituted in Jesus, in Jesus' death and resurrection. In Romans 9-11 he struggles with the question why Israel as a whole failed to see that Jesus was the Messiah, that in Jesus the New Covenant was formed. Paul anguished over Israel's rejection of Jesus. How could this be? Once again the question raised in Genesis 1-11 is raised by Paul: Will Israel's unbelief defeat God's purpose of election? Can the human "No" overcome the Divine "Yes"? Paul's wrestling with the problem of Israel's rejection of Jesus comes out in a tortuous path in those three chapters. If we read the letter as a whole, we find him first of all recognizing that Jew and Gentile are all alike guilty before God. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Then he presents God's way of righting the guilty through faith in Jesus Christ. In that moving eighth chapter, he writes of how Creation itself in bondage because of human sin, is nonetheless groaning in travail waiting to be set free from the curse - a clear reference to Genesis 3. He concludes his telling of redemption's story with that amazing statement, We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. And he says, "What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?" He concludes with that grand utterance, For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Then he comes to the source of his deep anguish - Israel's rejection of Jesus. He struggles to understand. Finally, Chapter 11 opens with the question, © Grand Valley State University �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 6   I ask then, has God rejected his people? His answer is a resounding, "By no means!" He addresses the Gentiles who have believed, to whom the Gospel has come through Israel's rejection. He counsels humility and awe before the mysterious working of God's grace. Finally he concludes, ... God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all. And the thought of the final triumph of grace causes Paul's heart to overflow in doxology. O depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ... For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Paul cannot solve the mystery, but rather in wonder and awe he bows before the mystery. He knows not when or how, but he rests in the final triumph of the grace of God. This people Israel - Abraham's line - proved as disobedient in their time as did the totality of humankind whose stories are related in Genesis 1-11. Yet, Paul says God will have His way. God's last word is mercy upon all. The history of Israel from Abraham through all the generations of her history and through 2,000 years of the Christian Church has a midpoint - the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When God's people said a resounding "No" to Jesus, putting him to death, God said an even more resounding "Yes," raising him from the dead. It was from Abraham's loins that Jesus came. It was in the barrenness of the human situation that God created an alternative community that issued in Jesus, the Anointed One who responded to God's yes with a faithful "Yes" in return. And Paul writes to the Ephesians, For Christ God chose us before the world was founded. Paul revels in the mystery of God's saving determination, a secret now revealed to him. The secret was a purpose which God formed in His own mind before time began, so that the periods of time should be controlled and administered until they reached their full development in which all things, in heaven and on earth, are gathered into one in Jesus Christ. How will God bring Creation to the consummation of His purpose? How will history move from the Garden to the City of God? The link is a people who are chosen by God, graced by God, called to be witnesses to God - a particular people © Grand Valley State University �The Election of Grace:…for a Universal Purpose Richard A. Rhem Page 7   whose gracious election has a universal purpose - to reclaim Creation and to bring all things to the realization of God's purpose. The Election of Grace is the only basis for hope, but it is enough; it is the sure guarantee that the Creator will bring creation to consummation. It is God's initiative through which He will have a people in every generation to witness to all peoples that God is God and God will finally reclaim Creation and bring all God's children home. We are the elect of God. To us the Gospel has been proclaimed, the grace of God given. We can rest in that – no matter what the day may bring, no matter how dark the night, how threatening the crises of life. We can count on that – no matter how frail our faith, how feeble our commitment, how fickle our devotion. That is the Good News by which we live. That is the Good News to which we witness to our neighbor and our world. Thanks be to God! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost X Series Faith's Foundation Scripture Text Genesis 11:30, 12:1-3, Romans 11:32-36 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880731 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-07-31 Title A name given to the resource The Election of Grace: A Particular People for a Universal Purpose Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 31, 1988 entitled "The Election of Grace: A Particular People for a Universal Purpose", as part of the series "Faith's Foundation", on the occasion of Pentecost X, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 11:30, 12:1-3, Romans 11:32-36. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Election Faith Hebrew Scriptures History of Israel Inclusive Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9d7800acae3b5bd83bb29ad9928a4823.mp3 710779491cc81b9a94703b56fdb79ad6 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fc0f432b876419c49ee8237d5cb017f5.pdf e12b99ed207ef16593a54d2f65cb8e4d PDF Text Text Creation’s Goal: Sabbath Rest From the summer sermon series: Faith’s Foundation Text: Genesis 2:2-3; Isaiah 65:23, 25; Revelation 21:3; 22:2-4 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan July 24, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon On the sixth day God completed all the work He had been doing, and on the seventh day He ceased from all His work. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy...Genesis 2:2-3 They shall not toil in vain or raise children for misfortune... they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord. Isaiah 65:23,25 Now at last God has His dwelling among humankind! Revelation 21:3 ... the leaves of the trees serve for the healing of the nations. Every accursed thing shall disappear. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be there and His servants shall worship Him; they shall see Him face to face. Revelation 22:2-4 In the beginning, God. And in the end, God. And in the meantime, every seven days, the Sabbath in which to rest and to contemplate the God of our end and of our beginning. In the midst of its history, Israel told its story over and over again and finally wrote its story down - the center being the story of God's mighty act of deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, the freeing of God's people, and the bringing of them to their own land. As they reached back to trace their own history, they appended to the story of their history a prologue, the story of the Patriarchs. And then, in order to connect themselves to the whole cosmos and the whole human race, they appended a series of stories in which they gave expression to their understanding of the universal human condition and the creative purpose of the Eternal God, of the relationship of God and human society, of their understanding of the life and the existence in which they were participating. Genesis 1, "In the beginning, God," expressed the bedrock of their conviction that all that is, is because God said, "Let there be ...," that there is something rather than nothing because God said, "Let there be...," and that the totality of reality is a consequence of a creative intention and design of the One © Grand Valley State University   �Creation’s Goal: Sabbath Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 2   true and eternal God. They went on to speak of the human situation - the story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden in chapters 2 and 3. Not a story of two ancient individuals, but your story and my story, the human story, the story of the God Who calls us to vocation, grants us freedom, sets certain limits and boundaries and waits for our response. Genesis 2 and 3 tell us that the tragedy and the tears and the toil of the human situation are the consequence of the human creature usurping sovereignty, taking one's life and destiny into one's own hands, trying to manage and control that which only God can manage and control. Consequently, the disaster and the tragedy that is a very real part of the human situation. We looked last week at the Garden of Eden and the story of Adam and Eve, and we saw the setting and the test and the failure and the consequence, but even in that dark story there were hints of grace. Even there there were indications that God was not through, and that the disobedience of the creature would not finally disrupt the intention of the Creator. In the day that they ate thereof, they did not die. Driven from the Garden, to be sure, yet amidst toil and tears, carrying on a meaningful existence, raising a family, God graciously clothing them, covering the shame of their nakedness, giving us hints of grace and the sense that God was not through with this creature, and that the creature's disobedience would not finally disrupt the Creator's intention. Indeed, the sense we get is that the Creator will bring creation to the consummation of His original intention. That was the faith of Israel. That was the conviction of the Old Testament people of God. The Creator will bring creation to the realization of the Creator's purposes of love and grace. So, Israel appended these stories to its own history, these stories which had universal application and were the common store of all humanity. Israel appended those stories in order to give expression to its own understanding of who it was and what it was called to be and why the human situation was like it was. When it seemed to be all lost at the end of the third chapter, we have the hints of grace, and we ask ourselves, "What now? Where will it lead? What's going to happen? What's next? Who will win - the 'No' of the creature, or the 'Yes' of God?" And we set ourselves up for this breathless drama that will unfold before us. Well, it's not only an ancient question, you know. Is there any hope? Has history any meaning? Is the world going anywhere? What's it all about? What now? What next? In a year of election politics we're going to have many easy answers to the world's dilemma. If you'll pardon just a bit of pastoral cynicism in the wake of a political convention, let me ask the question whether there’s anyone here this morning that really thinks that either Michael Dukakis or George Bush can really change the intransigence of the Pentagon. Is there anybody here this morning that really believes that Gorbachev and perestroika and glastnost will change the © Grand Valley State University �Creation’s Goal: Sabbath Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 3   face of the Soviet Union? Is there anyone here this morning that believes that the hopelessness of the homeless and the hunger of the hungry and the thirst of the thirsty, the despair of the despairing and the lostness of the forsaken will simply be taken care of by the wave of the wand of a new administration? Is there any hope? Where is it going? Where will it end? Might not one, seriously reflecting on the human condition, on the national scene, on the international prospect, come to a sense of futility and hopelessness? And if that's true in the most powerful nation in the most affluent society, in the summertime in western Michigan with sand and surf and blue sky, then what must it have been to the people in exile in the sixth century, the people of Judah living under the oppression of Babylon ready to throw in the towel, ready to say that the gods of Babylon have it? Where is our Lord and God? Is there any hope? It was to that situation that some person of God stood up and said, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and God spoke and it was so, and God looked and said it's good, and the evening and the morning were the first day. And when God was done, God rested from all His work of creation and took delight in it. He blessed the seventh day and made it holy." And to those exiles in Judah, forlorn and despairing in hopelessness, mantled with a sense of futility, they heard the creed of creation put together by some very, very astute weaver of words and ideas which made a powerful statement in their darkness and said, "Our God in the beginning spoke and called all things into being. Our God is the source of light and our God is the source of life. Now, lift up your hearts and wait on the Lord, Who after all of the work of creation, rested, ceased from His work, caught His breath, contemplated the work of creation and said it is good." By putting that seventh day, a day in which God created nothing but tranquility and serenity and peace at the conclusion of the creed of creation, the writer was saying that in the end God will have His way. Genesis 1 was written probably 500 years after Genesis 2 and 3. Five centuries later some prophet of God took it and put it in front of Genesis 2 and 3 in order that Genesis 2 and 3 and everything that followed would be read in the light of Genesis 1, "In the beginning, God," so that there would never be any question in the minds of the people of God that the God that they worshiped was the God of Creation, that the God of their salvation was God alone, the One Who held the whole world in His hand and held their destiny in His hand and in His heart. There was a vision of the Creator Who would bring creation to consummation. That's what Sabbath meant, and that's why every seventh day Israel was called again and again to remember God, to cease from their labor, to desist from their acquisition and their feverish activity, to let go and contemplate God and to worship and to rest and to take delight in God's world. There was a vision by which that people lived through all their days, and in their darkest moments a dream kept them alive. It was the dream of the Creator Who was the redeemer, Who would be the consummator. And what was the dream? Well, around the © Grand Valley State University �Creation’s Goal: Sabbath Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 4   same time that Genesis 1 was written there was a prophet speaking to the exiles in Judah who said, "In the name of God, behold I create a new heaven and a new earth, and the former things will not be remembered. And there will no longer be a child born living for a few days, dying in infancy. And they'll not toil in vain. They'll build houses and live in them. They'll plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof. It's going to be a beautiful new world, a new heaven and a new earth. Why, he said, it will be such that all toil and all tears and all tragedy will be removed and they'll not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. Shalom. Peace." Right in the midst of their darkness, one prophet said, "In the beginning, God," and another prophet said, "I create a new heaven and a new earth." It didn't come, and it didn't come, and it didn't come. But, one day Jesus came, and Jesus announced the sovereignty of God, the kingdom of God. And Jesus called to repentance all of those who were living by relative values, called them to God and the kingdom of God. Of course, Jesus was crucified, but God raised him up, raised him up on the first day of the week, and the Early Church moved its worship from the seventh day to the first day, but with exactly the same intention, because they called it the Lord's day, the Lord's day. In the Old Testament the day of the Lord was the day of the End, and what the Church was saying was that the Lord's day is the anticipation of the day of the Lord, of the End, of the Judgment, of the Consummation. What did they believe would be true at the End? Well, we read the magnificent vision, that vision given by Jesus to John when he was in exile for his witness to Jesus when the Roman Empire was mighty in the world, as mighty in its world as the U.S. of A. in ours, or the Soviet Union in our day. And when the persecuting fires of Rome were burning and raging, there was one who had the audacity while he himself was in exile, to bear witness to a vision he had, a dream. What was the dream? The dream was of the heavens opened and the throne of God and of the Lamb, and he heard them singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, Thou art worthy to receive power and glory and dominion, for Thou hast created all things, and Thou hast power to reign." And the vision went on, scene after scene, and he saw that time when the angel would proclaim the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ. He saw all of the events of the consummation coming to their climax and he heard a voice out of heaven saying, "I create a new heaven and a new earth," and he heard a voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with human persons. And he will dwell with them and they shall be His people and He will be their God. And He'll wipe away every tear from their eyes, and pain shall be no more, nor crying and death shall be no more, for all the former things shall pass away. Behold, I make all things new." And then he saw the City and he saw a river sparkling like crystal coming down the midst of the city, and on its banks was a tree with leaves and the leaves were for the healing of the nations. And the throne was there, the throne of the Lord and of the Lamb and His people worshiped. He wrote His name on their foreheads, and they didn't need the sun or the lamp, for the Lord Himself is their light, and they shall reign forever and ever. © Grand Valley State University �Creation’s Goal: Sabbath Rest Richard A. Rhem Page 5   A dream. A vision spoken into the darkness, spoken into circumstances that seemed to deny it, into a human situation that seemed to betray it over and over again, but a dream and a vision, nonetheless. Every seventh day, people of God cease from their labors, let go, rest as God rested, receiving the world and life as a gift, all of grace, being free for each other, free for God. One seventh of a human person's existence given over to the contemplation of God, Creator, Redeemer, Consummator. One-seventh of our lives carved out in order amidst all of the pressures that press upon us and all of the forces that beat us down and all of the darkness that would enshroud us, one-seventh of our lives to stop, to be still, and to know that He is God, the God of the beginning and the God of the End, the God Who will make good on all His promises, the God Whose yes is stronger than any human no. The God before Whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess, the God Who will finally win and not be defeated. When we join with myriads and myriads and thousands of angels and the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders and the whole created order and sing, "Hallelujah, the Lord Omnipotent reigns." There's a parable at the beginning; there's a parable at the end. There's a garden at the beginning; there's a city at the end. And both of them point us to the deepest, most profound truth that we can ever come to contemplate: the God of our beginning will be the God of our end. That's why every seventh day there is nothing more wonderful than resting in the presence of God. The day of all the week the best, emblem of eternal rest. Alleluia, blessed be His holy name. Amen. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost IX Series Faith's Foundation Scripture Text Genesis 2:2-3, Isaiah 65:23, 25, Revelation 21:3, 22:2-4 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880724 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-07-24 Title A name given to the resource Creations' Goal: Sabbath Rest Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 24, 1988 entitled "Creations' Goal: Sabbath Rest", as part of the series "Faith's Foundation", on the occasion of Pentecost IX, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 2:2-3, Isaiah 65:23, 25, Revelation 21:3, 22:2-4. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Creator Divine Intention Grace Hebrew Scriptures History of Israel Nature of God Sabbath Shalom https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cd0b290163a6b8e2517af0cfc26253eb.mp3 6ec95a50a8fb0e4a32e7b22fa615def4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost VIII Series Faith's Foundation Scripture Text Genesis 2:15, 3:9 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880717 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-07-17 Title A name given to the resource Humanity: Creative Purpose and Response Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 17, 1988 entitled "Humanity: Creative Purpose and Response", as part of the series "Faith's Foundation", on the occasion of Pentecost VIII, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 2:15, 3:9. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a4fe2519f33c8892b7c226a781808196.mp3 253dd1606ea9d22c0e4599dbd869a559 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost VII Series Faith's Foundation Scripture Text Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3, Ephesians 1:9-10 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880710 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-07-10 Title A name given to the resource In the Beginning - God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 10, 1988 entitled "In the Beginning - God", as part of the series "Faith's Foundation", on the occasion of Pentecost VII, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3, Ephesians 1:9-10. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3e2eb93a9162a11b71b942778e41183f.mp3 bd65bb81c76d5d71bd62b3db4723c121 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost VI Scripture Text Habakkuk 1:5, 3:17-18 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880703 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-07-03 Title A name given to the resource In God We Trust: Really? Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 3, 1988 entitled "In God We Trust: Really?", on the occasion of Pentecost VI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Habakkuk 1:5, 3:17-18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7c41a42d3ee9e72a8f5ade87657beab6.mp3 1e2ce728e166e1031079b2fc7432fe7e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost V Scripture Text I Chronicles 29:13, II Corinthians 4:15 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880626 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-06-26 Title A name given to the resource Worship as Response: The Unique Action of the Church Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on June 26, 1988 entitled "Worship as Response: The Unique Action of the Church", on the occasion of Pentecost V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Chronicles 29:13, II Corinthians 4:15. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/6e4de325402d055e6ed77eff021b2c5a.mp3 4a14fb17f2ecbf7266b15654afd2f018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2a2d8d04182d17b23768b45076643285.pdf 62e56675421ea4018ec860055476ac46 PDF Text Text The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Text: Psalm 73:16-17 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan June 19, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; there I saw clearly... Psalm 73:16-17 We all love a good fairy tale, children and adults, as well. Perhaps that is because fairy tales are true. The story comes out right: the good prosper, the wicked are wasted. Maybe something in the depths of our being responds to that because something in us knows that is the way it ought to be, should be - will be. But, the fairy tale is true only if one takes the long-range view; only if God is God, Sovereign, working God's eternal purposes out, purposes of love and grace and salvation, bringing about finally a Kingdom in which dwells righteousness and peace - Shalom. In the short range, the fairy tale is just that - a fairy tale, meaning a fantasy world quite out of sync with the real world. In the short range, things do not work out right – everyone does not live happily ever after. In the short range, one cannot find the working out of justice, fairness and equity. And if one’s peace of mind and happiness and wellbeing are dependent upon life being fair and all things working out in an equitable fashion, one will have slight chance of arriving at inward peace and joy and rest of soul. Life is not fair. There is no justice within the span of a person's existence. No amount of research on actual, concrete, human stories will demonstrate that things work out right according to our human standards of what is fair and just. And that is a cause of much human suffering and anguish. It leads to one of the most serious and debilitating diseases of the human spirit - cynicism, bitterness, caused by envy and self-pity. A cynical and bitter spirit smoldering with jealousy and self-pity has a corrosive effect on the human spirit; it is to have an acid eating away at one's soul; it is a © Grand Valley State University   �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 2   source of constant inward pain which is often assuaged by growing callouses on the soul, hardening oneself against feelings -feelings of joy and sorrow, of depression and exaltation. Cynicism is the sneering attitude that denies the sincerity or goodness of human motives. It is the tendency to criticize and find fault. It flows from one generally embittered with life, disillusioned with the way things have turned out. Unless it is checked, such bitterness will become a permanent hardness of heart resistant to trust, to joy, to spontaneity in any form. It is a kind of spiritual deadness. There is perhaps no more vivid portrayal of human experience struggling with cynical loss of faith and embitterment of spirit than Psalm 73. The Psalmist sets the record straight at the beginning. Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. That is both his conclusion and his premise. He can begin that way because he has passed through the fires of doubt and struggle and has come to affirm his trust in God, renewed only after great and painful wrestling with life experience. Brueggemann comments: Verse 1 sets the premise for the Psalm, which is also its conclusion. But it is a different statement when it is conclusion than when it is premise. When it is premise, it may be taken as pre-hurt, pre-doubt, pre-anguish. It is then a buoyant statement of naiveté. But as a conclusion, the affirmation is on the other side of hurt, doubt and anguish. While the words may be the same, they now bear different freight. Now the unuttered words of resentment have been uttered. Now the unthinkable thoughts of hostility have been thought. ... Psalm 73 is an assault on any naive faith. It arrives tortuously at a second, knowing naiveté. (The Message of the Psalms, p. 116) Having stated his premise, which is also his conclusion, the Psalmist goes on candidly to confess that he almost went over the brink, losing his grip on this fundamental conviction of faith. He writes: My feet had almost slipped, my foothold had all but given way. He then goes on to detail his bitter experience of doubt, his dark night of the soul as he questioned the moral structure of life and the knowledge and care of God. He speaks vividly, in graphic terms of how everything appeared to him during his time of intense struggle. We must recognize immediately that in the midst of his personal torment his vision is blurred and his judgment warped. He gives us a very distorted view of things. According to him, the careless, the godless prosper, experience no pain, © Grand Valley State University �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 3   no suffering, are strangers to trouble and trial. They grow wealthy, enjoy good health. They are proud, violent and full of scorn. Is the picture overdrawn? Probably. The world is not really divided into two camps, one a camp of white hats, the other a camp of black hats. To divide the world into the righteous and the wicked is a bit too simple, too neat. Certainly it is too simplistic for a congregation that prints on its bulletin week after week the statement of Hans Küng: The front between the world and God's rule, between good and evil, runs right through the church, right through the heart of the individual. Evil is much more subtle and entwines itself in the lives of us all. This is not to say that there is no difference in people. Certainly there are those whose lives reflect a commitment to truth, righteousness, justice. There are those, as well, who seek their own advantage at whatever human cost to another and with total disregard for what is right and true. Nonetheless, especially in the Church we need to resist the too simple division of persons into categories of righteous and wicked. But for the purpose of the Psalmist's story, it is not so important whether reality reflected what he perceived or not. The fact is this is the way he felt. This is how it looked to him. We are indebted to this singer of Israel for revealing his soul to us. He was deeply hurting. He was angry at the world. He was angry at God. We have been there, too. And it is helpful to know that this kind of experience is not foreign to God's people. The Old Testament is especially healthy in this regard. They stormed heaven with their wounded spirits and called the Almighty to account. There was no pious masking of their true feelings. The Psalmist is not the only Old Testament figure that stormed the citadel of Heaven crying out to God, “How come?” I wonder what it was that was really rankling the Psalmist. Had he worked hard, done his best, dealt honestly and lived with integrity, only to have the bottom fall out of the economy and watch his life's work dribble away? Or had he risked everything to help a friend, only to have the friend turn on him? Was he disappointed in love? Did his children prove ungrateful? Had he just learned of a terminal disease which would soon cut him off? The particulars are unimportant. Life has more than enough trouble and heartache to go around and the stuff of which the Psalmist's pain was made is almost without limit because we can set it down as a fundamental truth of human experience – Life is not fair. © Grand Valley State University �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Having admitted that, I want to make a point of application right here; granted, life is not fair, but Pain perverts perspective. If we could learn that well, it would save us much angry bitterness. As we said above, the Psalmist's view of things was warped, distorted, but this is what he was feeling. Happy the person who before the crisis promises himself he will make no world-encompassing generalizations in the midst of his anguish, because, again, Pain perverts perspective. Can we understand? Certainly. Have we been there? Most of us, at some time. But, it can be helpful to recognize ahead of time that how we feel and how things appear when we are hurting is not a true reflection of reality. Pain perverts perspective. When people are in crisis it does not help to try to correct their vision. It does little good to assure them that “This, too, will pass.” When someone is pouring out their grief and anguish, just let it come; absorb it; feel it with them. That is not the time for a brilliant discourse or “a true perspective on Reality.” However, we can help ourselves be prepared for crisis times if we come to realize that Pain perverts perspective. The Psalmist has already given us his strong affirmation of faith and so obviously something happened to turn him around. He tells us in verse 16. He had been quite overcome with his completely negative perception of life. He says, I set myself to think this out but found it too hard for me, until I went into God's sacred courts; there I saw clearly what their end would be. The Psalmist learned the secret of the sanctuary. There, in the presence of God, in the posture of worship, he gained a new perspective. He found that Worship is healing. To make that statement calls for immediate clarification. I am not suggesting that the primary purpose or focus of our worship is our personal healing. We worship God. We celebrate the grace of God in response to God's revealing of an eternal saving purpose, a plan for the establishing of a Kingdom in which dwells righteousness and justice and peace. © Grand Valley State University �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 5   But with that being granted, it is also important to understand the reflexive effect of our worship - to see how the action of worship has a healing effect on the one who worships. The Psalmist says, “ Life was too painful for me; I tried to think it through and I could not. Then I went into the sanctuary -then I understood.” In fairness to the text, I should let the whole statement be heard: ... Then I saw clearly what their end would be. One could hear this as a rather mean satisfaction that “the wicked” will get theirs and maybe there is some of that operating here. It is a rare person that takes no satisfaction in the fall of another, particularly if one has been infected with the disease of bitterness and has wallowed in self-pity. But even if that is true, there is the discovery here of a fundamental truth about God and human destiny which is the bedrock of biblical faith. The perspective of the sanctuary enabled the Psalmist to take the long view and to see that, although there is no justice in the short run, there is certainly a coming round of all things in the long run. Within the stream of history there is no possibility of seeing things whole. It is only in the posture of worship, in the presence of God that one is able to trust the process, trust the good and gracious and sovereign Lord of History to effect the promised Kingdom and bring Shalom. But, beyond the new insight, beyond a renewed vision of God's eternal purpose, the Psalmist found a Presence. The Presence of God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Moses and the Exodus, the God of Covenant, the God of grace and steadfast love, the faithful God. In the sanctuary, in worship, the Psalmist experienced communion with God. It is in the gaining of new insight and the experience of communion with God that healing happens! Look at the Psalmist's expression of where he was before he worshipped: My heart was embittered. I felt pangs of envy, I would not understand, so brutish was I. I was a mere beast in thy sight, O God. Now there was insight - not only on human experience in time and space, but also self-awareness, self-knowledge, understanding of the paralysis of spirit caused by his envy, cynicism and bitterness. The world did not change. Circumstances did not change. The one who worshipped was changed. © Grand Valley State University �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 6   I went into the sanctuary, there I saw clearly. Thus we have a vivid statement of intense spiritual anguish and suffering and its cure – going to church! Perhaps that sounds naive. But it is, of course, more than going to church. It is the experience of worship. The effect of worship on the worshipper is the healing of the person. Do we approach the worship of God with such high expectation? Do we recognize how crucial is the worship of God for the health of our being? What a strange situation is Sunday morning! Karl Barth describes it vividly in one of his early essays - the building, the appointments, the songs, the prayers, the preaching - all of them “saying” more than they say; all of them pointing beyond themselves to another; all of them crying out, “God is here!” And we come, Barth says, only half conscious of why - some out of habit, some out of need or hope - some believing, some not - some open and sensitive, some hardened by much hard experience. But, we come. And consciously or unconsciously we come with the burning question, “Is it true?” “Is God God?” “Is it true?” Is there reason to hope? Is there life in the end? Will grace and truth triumph? Will there break a dawn which shall know no setting sun? That's why we come. And all we do here is in order to lift our lives into the presence of the One Whose grace will touch us and Whose light will give us light and hope and heal us. Come, then. Come prayerfully. Come with heart prepared, open, ready to be encountered. Come and worship, for worship puts us in touch with God. The wrenching questions are not answered, but there is a Presence. Yet I am always with thee; Thou holdest my right hand; Thou dost guide me by thy counsel and afterwards will receive me with glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And having thee, I desire nothing else on earth. And then he makes this very beautiful expression of absolute trust. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. © Grand Valley State University �The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Richard A. Rhem Page 7   The Psalmist learned to trust when faith came hard. He worshiped and worship puts us in touch with God. In touch with God. As prayers are offered, hymns are sung, the Word is proclaimed, trust replaces agonizing doubt, peace mantles my heart, peace that passes understanding. That is, peace I cannot rationally explain, but peace I experience. In the sanctuary, in the posture of worship, the picture clarifies, my perverted perspective gives way to new perspective; as I worship, I get in touch with God Who has come close to us in the flesh of Jesus. Reality and truth break in on me. I see beyond the chaos a larger screen, a heart and purpose of love, a thread of meaning. Surely in the awful tragedy and intense suffering that is the daily lot of so many it must seem that God is dead or worse still, that He doesn't know; that He doesn't care. But in His Presence, I know He knows, I know He cares. Here I hear the story again of His own deep plunge into the depths of our suffering, His own embracing of the worst of our darkness in Jesus, His Son. In the sanctuary I see the cross and I am reminded that God suffers, too; that God was crucified with Jesus on the cross; that the heart of the Eternal breaks with the weight of human sin, rebellion and violence. In touch with God, I sense that history with its terrible woes and awful suffering is not all there is; that death and defeat will not have the final say; that the God Who has joined us in our darkness will finally make some sense out of this senseless suffering; will yet effect His purposes and cause love to prevail and peace to be the final word. In worship, in communing with God, I am healed. I see clearly. I trust. I rest in the abyss of God's love. Now I can go on. Amen. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost IV Scripture Text Psalm 73:17 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880619 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-06-19 Title A name given to the resource The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on June 19, 1988 entitled "The Worship of God: The Healing of Persons", on the occasion of Pentecost IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 73:17. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Love Peace Presence of God Suffering Trust Worship https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b006a932dfb4ac7902f394d544d1ddf5.mp3 3ccbc9da3642499ff5421df4cd6d25ed Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost III Scripture Text Psalm 150:6, Revelation 19:6-7 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880612 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-06-12 Title A name given to the resource The Worship of God: A Foretaste of Heaven Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on June 12, 1988 entitled "The Worship of God: A Foretaste of Heaven", on the occasion of Pentecost III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 150:6, Revelation 19:6-7. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/efa87a05ef4bf1c92c035b5442ec6b72.mp3 5c77b3f06765d9789d7d5cad8a3f994f https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b818a3401034b8939c347399695986cb.pdf 2c4decf99ca9df05a70e6e9d24bc6607 PDF Text Text Living Before the Face of God Baccalaureate Sunday Text: I Timothy 6:11-16 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan June 5, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon But you, man of God, must shun all this, and pursue justice, piety, fidelity, love, fortitude, and gentleness. Run the great race of faith and take hold of eternal life. For to this you were called; and you confessed your faith nobly before many witnesses. Now in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ, who himself made the same noble confession and gave his testimony to it before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to obey your orders irreproachably and without fault until our Lord Jesus Christ appears. That appearance God will bring to pass in his own good time -God who in eternal felicity alone holds sway. He is King of kings and Lord of lords; he alone possesses immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light. No man has ever seen or ever can see him. To him be honour and might for ever! Amen. ... I Timothy 6:11-16 (NEB) Commencement is a time of the giving of many speeches and most of them can be lumped in the category of moral imperative, an urging of graduates to plunge into life with seriousness of purpose and diligent effort, to pursue lofty goals, to live by high ideals and to strive for nobleness of life. Who could argue with that? Surely this is a good occasion for such stirring rhetoric. What is usually missing, however, and in the context of public education necessarily is missing, is any foundation for such moral urging. One might well raise the question to much commencement speechmaking, "Why?" It is the "Why" I want to address on this Baccalaureate Sunday. From the perspective of biblical faith, the reason one ought to enter seriously into life with discipline and purpose and live fruitfully, creatively and significantly as a catalyst for the betterment of one's world and society is because one is not one's own; rather life is a gift and is lived before the face of God. It is the consciousness of God, the Living God, the Creator of the Universe, the gracious, saving God revealed in Jesus Christ, that shapes human life into a faithful response, pointing one to the highest and best and fullest realization of one's potential. © Grand Valley State University   �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 2   The text this morning might seem to lead us down the pathway to another instance of moralistic cheerleading: Pursue justice, piety, fidelity, love, fortitude and gentleness. Run the great race of faith and take hold of eternal life. Good counsel, to be sure; who would argue with such encouragement? But, again, why? Let me try to answer that and thereby avoid the pitfall of another blind call to goodness and duty. The call to serious, disciplined living here is based on the assumption that one is not one's own. Note the address, "But you, man of God." Is that a technical designation of one in Christian ministry? Perhaps in this instance. Yet it is not to be so limited. The biblical assumption from beginning to end is that God is God and the human person lives before the face of God. That is stated expressly in verse 13: Now in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ... The solemn charge to duty is given "in the presence of God," but what is explicitly stated as the context of this charge is true for us all at all times and in all circumstances. We live before the face of God. God is the great reality embracing all of nature and history and God is the ground and goal of our lives as well as the origin, preserver and finally the goal of all existence. Since the 18th Century, the Enlightenment Movement in France and Germany, our thinking has been secularized. Reality has been bifurcated in such fashion that the world has been viewed as a self-contained system running on its own with its own natural law and bound together in a chain of cause and effect. God, if God is still retained as a reality or possibility, is outside the reality of history and nature. If God is given place at all in the natural world and the drama of history, it is at specific points of intervention, still maintained by the religious but even that is denied by the thoroughgoing naturalist. In the philosophical movement, which gradually filtered down to popular thinking, this removal of God from historical existence and the natural world was spoken of as emancipation. Just as Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed the slave, so clearing the world of God was thought to give space to the human person to develop potential and carve out a destiny free from the oppressive restraints of religion. Much religion was and is oppressive. Much coercion and manipulation by religion has done untold damage to human personality and bound the human spirit in a strait jacket of fear and guilt and neurosis. Let that be freely acknowledged. © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 3   But, that being candidly admitted, it must be recognized that a godless world and a godless existence is a dismal business leading not to creative freedom and selfexpression, but rather to a dead end of hopeless futility. It is the absence of a sense of the reality of God that is responsible for much of the malaise, the ambiguity, the confusion, the moral crisis of our present world. In a Christian Century editorial (June 1,1988), James M. Wall addresses the loss of the transcendent source of moral values, the loss of a norm beyond the standards of individuals or communities. Entitled "Ed Koch, Call Your Office," the editorial suggests that from time to time one ought to check in to determine if one is still aligned with what is true and good and right - call your office. Koch roused the Jewish community in New York City against the black democrat candidate, Jesse Jackson, in the recent primary. Wall suggests Koch acted as though a moral compass were irrelevant. He goes on to declare, The ethical crisis in our public life stems not from the lack of parochial ethical standards but from the failure to turn to any transcendent standard in making decisions as individuals or as communities. We are not calling our offices because there is no one there to take the call. And if we did call, we would get only a recorded message we ourselves had made, advising us to do whatever will enhance the bottom line, make us feel good or guarantee a profit and/or a victory, preferably both. Examples of this attitude abound in contemporary society. In addition to Koch, they include Ed Meese in the Justice Department and Ivan Boesky on Wall Street. The dominant operative mind-set tolerates and actually encourages a rudderless moral climate. Modernity has brought us incredible advances in the way we live, but it has left us in a situation where we do not know how to live. The prevailing standard is victory, not values.... Wall quotes a Czech-born novelist, Milas Kundera, (The Art of the Novel, p. 2) who regards Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, ... Kundera regards Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote as the first novelist of the modern era who captured what it means to exist in a society that puts all its emphasis on knowing a lot about little pieces and cares nothing about the largest piece of reality. It was during Cervantes's era that Western civilization began to assume that the only reality that matters is that which is subject to measurement. The central authority for all existence had once been called God, and that authority's representative on earth was the church. Both of these entities were pushed into a sacred reservation to keep them out of harm's way, while rational and wise men (never women) pursued knowledge. Or as Kundera puts it: © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 4   As God slowly departed from the seat whence he had directed the universe and its order of values, distinguished good from evil, and endowed each thing with meaning, Don Quixote set forth from his house into a world he could no longer recognize. In the absence of the Supreme Judge, the world suddenly appeared in its fearsome ambiguity; the single divine Truth decomposed into myriad relative truths parceled out by men. Thus was born the world of the Modern Era... [p. 6]. I cannot begin to draw out and document the disillusioning end of the demise of God in the modern world, but if you are really interested in one person's account of where we are after a century of Nihilism filtered down to popular understanding, read Allan Bloom's book. The Closing of the American Mind, whose subtitle reads, "How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students." Nihilism is a philosophy, a world and life view that denies any reality beyond the human mind and system of values. There is no God, no ultimate source of truth or goodness. It is all simply human devising. Nihilism means Nothingness. Hans Küng, in Does God Exist?, defines Nihilism as "The conviction of the nullity of the internal contradiction, futility and worthlessness of reality." (p. 388) Bloom traces the line from Nietzsche’s philosophical ideas to contemporary American Society where the denial of any Absolute is a given, but where the resultant chaos of right and wrong, truth and error has led to the recognition of the need for values clarification. The problem is there is no transcendent reference, no absolute standard or norm. Consequently, one must determine one's own values and then live authentically in the light of those values. Since there is no norm, one value is as valid as the next and tolerance rules over all. Bloom writes, My grandparents were ignorant people by our standards, and my grandfather held only lowly jobs. But their home was spiritually rich because all the things done in it, not only what was specifically ritual, found their origin in the Bible's commandments, and their explanation in the Bible's stories and the commentaries on them, and had their imaginative counterparts in the deeds of the myriad of exemplary heroes. My grandparents found reasons for the existence of their family and the fulfillment of their duties in serious writings, and they interpreted their special sufferings with respect to a great and ennobling past. Their simple faith and practices linked them to great scholars and thinkers who dealt with the same material, not from outside or from an alien perspective, but believing as they did, while simply going deeper and providing guidance. There was a respect for real learning, because it had a felt connection with © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 5   their lives. This is what a community and a history mean, a common experience inviting high and low into a single body of belief. I do not believe that my generation, my cousins who have been educated in the American way, all of whom as M.D.s or Ph.D.’s, have any comparable learning. When they talk about heaven and earth, the relations between men and women, parents and children, the human condition, I hear nothing but clichés, superficialities, the material of satire. I am not saying anything so trite as that life is fuller when people have myths to live by. I mean rather that a life based on the Book is closer to the truth, that it provides the material for deeper research in and access to the real nature of things. Without the great revelations, epics, and philosophies as part of our natural vision, there is nothing to see out there, and eventually little left inside. The Bible is not the only means to furnish a mind, but without a book of similar gravity, read with the gravity of the potential believer, it will remain unfurnished. The moral education that is today supposed to be the great responsibility of the family cannot exist if it cannot present to the imagination of the young a vision of a moral cosmos and of the rewards and punishments for good and evil, sublime speeches that accompany and interpret deeds, protagonists and antagonists in the drama of moral choice, a sense of the stakes involved in such choice, and the despair that results when the world is "disenchanted." Otherwise, education becomes the vain attempt to give children "values." Beyond the fact that parents do not know what they believe, and surely do not have the self-confidence to tell their children much more than that they want them to be happy and fulfill whatever potential they may have, values are such pallid things. What are they and how are they communicated? The courses in "value-clarification" springing up in schools are supposed to provide models for parents and get children to talk about abortion, sexism or the arms race, issues the significance of which they cannot possibly understand. Such education is little more than propaganda, and propaganda that does not work, because the opinions or values arrived at are will-o'-the-wisps, insubstantial, without ground in experience or passion, which are the bases of moral reasoning. Such "values"" will inevitably change as public opinion changes. The new moral education has none of the genius that engenders moral instinct or second nature, the prerequisite not only of character but also of thought. Actually, the family's moral training now comes down to inculcating the bare minima of social behavior, not lying or stealing, and produces university students who can say nothing more about the ground of their moral action than "If I did that to him, he could do it to me" - an explanation which does not even satisfy those who utter it. Bloom concludes, © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 6   Thus our use of the value language leads us in two opposite directions - to follow the line of least resistance, and to adopt strong poses and fanatic resolutions. But these are merely different deductions from a common premise. Values are not discovered by reason, and it is fruitless to seek them, to find the truth or the good life. The quest begun by Odysseus and continued over three millennia has come to an end with the observation that there is nothing to seek. This alleged fact was announced by Nietzsche just over a century ago when he said, "God is dead." Good and evil now for the first time appear as values, of which there have been a thousand and one, none rationally or objectively preferable to any other. The salutary illusion about the existence of good and evil has been definitively dispelled. For Nietzsche this was an unparalleled catastrophe; it meant the decomposition of culture and the loss of human aspiration. The Socratic "examined" life was no longer possible or desirable. It was itself unexamined, and if there was any possibility of a human life in the future it must begin from the naive capacity to live an unexamined life. The philosophic way of life had become simply poisonous. In short, Nietzsche with the utmost gravity told modern man that he was free-falling in the abyss of nihilism. Perhaps after having lived through this terrible experience, drunk it to the dregs, people might hope for a fresh era of value creation, the emergency of new gods. Perhaps no one has given finer expression to the reckless affirmation of selfdetermination apart from any tradition, community value or transcendent ground of existence than Frank Sinatra singing, "I did it my way!" Call the office? No need; no one is there. I did it my way! But, what of God? If God is God, then human life is lived before the face of God. Our text speaks of "The presence of God and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made a good confession." There we have a model set forth: Jesus before Pilate. Sinatra sings, "I Did It My Way!" Jesus trembles and cries out, "Nevertheless, not my will but Thy will be done." Can there be any starker contrast? Two different worlds. Two different conceptions of life and Reality. My Way! Thy Way! The whole life of Jesus was characterized by an overwhelming sense of living before the face of God. With Jesus, it was not a matter of finding out what works and doing it in order to become successful as the world judges success. Rather, it © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 7   was to determine the will of God and do it in spite of human approval or disapproval. Before Pilate he was strong, steady, unmovable. Tell me, if you had to choose, would you stand with Jesus knowing it would lead to crucifixion, or with Pilate thereby saving your power and position? What choice would you make? Of course, you would stand with Jesus - masterfully clear-eyed, strong, not with the pathetic Pilate, anxious, fearful, equivocating, vacillating. Who was really on trial? Who was really in command of the moment? Is it not abundantly clear that Jesus' "Thy will be done," freed him from every other bondage? True to God, therefore truly himself. They crucified him. But, Jesus reigns, and one day every knee shall bow to him, every tongue confess him Lord, to the glory of God! To the glory of God! The phrase sets the writer on fire. He breaks out into praise with a great doxology, as he calls to mind God Who will bring all things to their consummation in His own time, at the appearing of Jesus Christ. God Who in eternal felicity alone holds sway. He is King of kings and Lord of lords; he alone possesses immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen or ever can see him. To God be honour and might for ever! Doxology. That is the tone quality of a life lived consciously before the face of God. To live in the spirit of doxology is to live spontaneously, creatively in a constant sense of awe and wonder, awe and wonder before the mystery of God, the meaningfulness of existence, the sheer majesty of an eternal purpose already at work, in us, through us, moving from Creation to new creation. Doxology: The breaking forth of worship from one who is already participating in life that is eternal - that is life lived within our time and space, but breaking through those limits, breathing already the air of another reality, a transcendent dimension. ... take hold of eternal life. For this you were called. So enjoins the text. In John's Gospel, Jesus says, I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. Again, he declares, © Grand Valley State University �Living Before the Face of God Richard A. Rhem Page 8   This is life eternal that they might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. To live before the face of God is to live in the consciousness of a Reality beyond the limits of time and space, beyond the appearances empirically perceived, beyond the limited realm of nature that can be measured and of history that can be documented. To live before the face of God is to have a transcendent reference point, an absolute from which to measure, truth by which to discriminate the confusing clamor of claims to validity that play upon one. Doxology! Not passive resignation to Fate. Doxology! Not unprincipled yielding to what works, is effective, gets one by or brings one instant reward. Doxology! Not self-serving narcissism that aims at the instant gratification of desire, the pleasure principle - doing what feels good. Doxology! Not a spineless, careful, fearful failure to dare, to risk, to live, to love -satisfied with an obscene mediocrity. Doxology - The overflowing life that senses the very Creative Spirit of God rushing through it, reaching for the stars, dreaming the impossible dream, believing that there is so much more, unwilling to rest with what has been, dissatisfied with what is, always stretching, reaching, pushing the limits, knowing that the possibilities of Reality are as limitless as the God Who is the ground and goal of all that is. And so I call you to take hold of life eternal and I ground that challenge in who you are - a person, created in the image of God, the God Who is the source, the ground, the norm of all that is good and true and beautiful and whose purpose for you is the fullness of life in the present and beyond what eye has seen or ear heard or has ever entered the human heart's conceiving. That is to live fully, richly, creatively - that is to live before the face of God. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Baccalaureate Sunday Pentecost II Scripture Text I Timothy 6:12-14 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880605 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-06-05 Title A name given to the resource Living Before the Face of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on June 5, 1988 entitled "Living Before the Face of God", on the occasion of Baccalaureate Sunday, Pentecost II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Timothy 6:12-14. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Awe Baccalaureate Sunday Consciousness of God Mystery of God Transcendence Values https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/987962fba05120b0cb7955a04199bd5b.mp3 6f3443d80d2a7dd3d3e9b51c24405bb0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Trinity Sunday Scripture Text Isaiah 45:22, 46:4, John 14:9, 16-17 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880529 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-29 Title A name given to the resource The God Who Satisfies Our Deepest Need Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 29, 1988 entitled "The God Who Satisfies Our Deepest Need", on the occasion of Trinity Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 45:22, 46:4, John 14:9, 16-17. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b5db9068f7a11b2ff31cfbc2a72afba1.mp3 045259889d948d2f070e4f49d5933614 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost Scripture Text Psalms 16:8, Acts 2:25, Romans 8:34 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880522 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-22 Title A name given to the resource The Human Hunger for God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 22, 1988 entitled "The Human Hunger for God", on the occasion of Pentecost, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalms 16:8, Acts 2:25, Romans 8:34. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/54a2d31e04f9e45db60d16f02023214e.mp3 a3f9abc2ba85394ca8fe6a6720056b04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide VI Scripture Text Isaiah 46:10-13, Phil. 1:6, 2:9, Revelation 4:6, 5:12, 13 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880508 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-08 Title A name given to the resource Jesus is Lord Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 8, 1988 entitled "Jesus is Lord", on the occasion of Eastertide VI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 46:10-13, Phil. 1:6, 2:9, Revelation 4:6, 5:12, 13. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cac50ddb57aa2953b009fecba1d2b956.mp3 02aa152f0878a4a386117295c9c41356 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide V Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 55:11, Ephesians 3:20-21 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880501 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-01 Title A name given to the resource Beyond Our Fondest Dreams Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 1, 1988 entitled "Beyond Our Fondest Dreams ", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 55:11, Ephesians 3:20-21. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/30ed9afec90632bf9d4968d2f65a726e.mp3 6e227a3fde4ea267a3b0c7fd9430a10e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide IV Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 43:19, Ephesians 1:18-20 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880424 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-24 Title A name given to the resource Our Power Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 24, 1988 entitled "Our Power", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 43:19, Ephesians 1:18-20. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9c292d6e38f185b831a76a4c527d7916.mp3 5095ddebcd7f37e699134e0b114d7a68 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide III Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 55:3, Ephesians 1:18 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880417 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-17 Title A name given to the resource Our Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 17, 1988 entitled "Our Heritage", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 55:3, Ephesians 1:18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/25ba37622123df73db91671c8ebd8be7.mp3 ecb0b1a4525fd900f5adb40a70aa87f9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide II Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 54:10, Ephesians 1:18 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880410 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-10 Title A name given to the resource Our Hope Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 10, 1988 entitled "Our Hope", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 54:10, Ephesians 1:18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3dd9e643e68ea95d326ed36a65d0d723.mp3 3bc157e5a0f715ab4ceb77b218d90d86 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a52f42e8873b3d9af324a3df8f34f918.pdf e96d403f1c1efb63544a1b9f922b2546 PDF Text Text Authentication From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 53: 11; I Corinthians 15: 22-28 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Easter Sunday, April 3, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon After all his pains he shall be bathed in light, after his disgrace he shall be fully vindicated; so shall he my servant vindicate many, ... himself bearing the penalty of their guilt. Isaiah 53:11 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ... He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet...that God may be everything to everyone. I Corinthians 75:22-28 God raised Jesus from the dead. That is the great truth we celebrate on Easter. Jesus died. That is the somber reality marked in this sanctuary and around the world on Friday. As Jesus was hanging suspended between heaven and earth, they cruelly mocked him – the soldiers, the religious authorities, even those condemned with him. Did he trust in God? They taunted, let God rescue him… Matthew 27:43 How that must have wrenched him. His whole life, his whole message was posited on trust in God. Where was God, the God Whom he addressed intimately as “Abba, Father”? Is it any wonder that that terrible cry of dereliction found expression in his awful agony, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” He trusted in God; let God deliver him now... But there was no deliverance; Jesus breathed his last. Jesus died. Unless that black reality has seeped into the pores of our being, Easter will fail to appear in all its radical reality. Only the horrid darkness of Golgotha can adequately set the stage for the brightness, joy and wonder of Easter's dawn. The taunters at crucifixion were not without profound insight. They knew everything hinged on God’s intervention on behalf of His Servant. If heaven © Grand Valley State University   �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 2   remained relentless and Jesus really died, then put to death as well was all he claimed to be, all he claimed was true, the way he claimed to be God’s way. Those who conspired to put him to death knew instinctively that if there was no move from heaven, no action from God, they had won the day. “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now.” Quite right. That was the issue. If we are right - in agreement with the Gospel writers - that Jesus found his identity, the model of his ministry in the Servant Songs of Second Isaiah, then he must not have been surprised at the opposition he met in the days of his ministry. In the third of the songs, Isaiah 50:4-9, the Servant says, I offered my back to the lash and let my beard be plucked from my chin; I did not hide, my face from spitting and insult; Opposition and suffering must have come as no surprise. But the Servant was certain of the Lord's strong support. ... but the Lord God stands by to help me; therefore no insult can wound me. I have set my face like a flint... Beyond the suffering and persecution there was the promise of God's support and the clear call ... to be my salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds. Isaiah 49:6 And so, on the model of the servant, Jesus carried on a ministry of bringing Salvation, a ministry of healing executed with compassion in gentleness. ... not breaking a bruised reed, not snuffing out a smoldering wick. Isaiah 42:3 All of that must have passed before his mind's eye as he felt death closing in as the tormenters reminded him that the issue at stake was whether his trust in God would be vindicated; whether he, the Servant of the Lord, would be vindicated. O God, where are you now in my hour of desperate need? Yet, there was more that must have been going on in the mind and heart of Jesus, ravished with pain, alone in his anguish. If he found his identity and destiny in the Servant Songs, then he knew well the, to us, familiar 53rd chapter of Isaiah. We have referred to it in this series twice, noting the Lamb led to the slaughter, the innocent one bearing the transgression of his people. The Servant dies. ... he was cut off from the world of living men; stricken to death for my people’s transgression. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, a burial place, among the refuse of mankind. Isaiah 53:8-9 © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 3   The Servant died. Jesus knew he was precipitating a crisis in Jerusalem. He must have sensed the inevitability of death. The institution of the Last Supper certainly indicates that. The Servant died. Jesus was dying, but the taunts must have been sharp spears thrusting into his heart. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him. But God made no move; heaven was silent. The evil designs of threatened religion and political leaders simply unfolded with no sign of intervention. But still there is more; the Servant of Isaiah 53 dies, but the Servant is also vindicated; the Servant's life and ministry is also authenticated. At the conclusion of the report of the Servant's vicarious suffering, bearing the transgressions of his people, we read: Yet the Lord took thought for his tortured Servant and healed him … so shall he enjoy long life and see his children’s children, and in his hand the Lord’s cause shall prosper. After all his pains he shall be bathed in light, after his disgrace he shall be fully vindicated. Isaiah 53:10-11 Jesus was dying. That could not have been a surprise to him. But, where was the vindication spoken of? This, of course, was Jesus’ supreme test; would he hold on trusting through his last breath? This claim of vindication and authentication in the fourth Servant Song is amazing. There was as yet in Israel no knowledge of resurrection, no understanding of a rising from the dead. Yet here we have an idea set forth of which there was no experience and no general expectation. The Servant dies on behalf of his people; God vindicates His Servant and the Servant is satisfied, content, that his mission is accomplished and his triumph is secured. This message is entitled “Authentication.” I contemplated using the term “vindication,” which appears in the text (Isaiah 53:11 NEB). However, that term has taken on a nuance with which I would not like God's raising of Jesus to be associated. It carries the meaning “to clear from censure, criticism, suspicion, or doubt, by means of demonstration; to justify or uphold by evidence or argument,” all of which properly applies to the significance of Jesus' resurrection. Yet it also conjures up images of vindication as avenging or revenge. © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Therefore, I have chosen the word “Authentication.” It is defined as “to invest with authority, to give legal validity to, to establish the title to credibility of a statement, or of a reputed fact.” It carries the idea of authorization, genuineness. It is this that God accomplished in raising Jesus from the dead. Easter is God's mighty “Yes” to Jesus, to the way of life he portrayed, the salvation he offered, the God to whom he pointed. Resurrection was for Jesus authentication. With real insight, the crucifiers taunted: He trusts in God; Let God rescue him now. God did; not before the mission was accomplished; but, miracle of miracles, when he had really died, God raised him from the dead. Resurrection is Jesus' authentication. So what? To answer that, we will move from the promise of vindication, life out of death, in Isaiah, beyond the narration of the event in the Gospel, to the consequence of resurrection in the Epistle. Paul's classic discussion of the reality of resurrection – Jesus’ and ours - in I Corinthians 15 makes the simple, straightforward claim: ... The truth is, Christ was raised to life. (vs. 20) He then draws the consequence: As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be brought to life. Paul envisions an unfolding drama - the story goes on from Easter. Christ, the first fruits, and afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. Israel gathered the first-ripened grain and offered it to the Lord - a sign that the whole harvest was God's. Using that figure, Paul sees Jesus' resurrection as the first instance of a general resurrection to follow at his coming - an event Paul thought was near. At his coming, history would come to its End. Paul understood Jesus to be reigning even as he, Paul, was writing. Jesus was overcoming all opposition to God's rule. When completed, he would overcome the last enemy, death. Then he would yield up the Kingdom to God and God would become all in all, or, “everything to everyone.” Thus, in the resurrection, God authenticated His Servant Jesus and established a whole new order, an order Scripture speaks of as the new age, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom Jesus had claimed was arriving in his ministry. Jesus was authenticated: his claim authenticated. His resurrection was a sign that everything was new; a whole new world was born. © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 5   We are already participating in that new order. We have passed from darkness to light, from death to life. Once, by nature, we were “in Adam,” subject to death. Now, by grace, we are “in Christ,” recipients of life. The old order did its best to defeat the gracious, saving purpose of God. Adam's race of which by nature we are all a part, crucified the Servant of the Lord. But God raised him up. In his death he bore the transgressions of his people, he justified the many whose sin he bore. In his resurrection he gives life to his people. Because Jesus lives, there is a whole new reality. The Kingdom of God, God's rule, acknowledged now by the Church, but one day every knee will bow, every tongue confess: Jesus is Lord. Because Jesus lives, we believe every obstacle and all opposition to God's desire and design to save will be overcome. Grace will triumph over all the forms and structures of evil, of darkness, of injustice, of sin and death. He trusted in God; let God deliver him - God did. And because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future, and life is worth the living just because he lives! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Easter Sunday Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text I Corinthians 15:22-28 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880403 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-03 Title A name given to the resource Authentication Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 3, 1988 entitled "Authentication", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Easter Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Corinthians 15:22-28. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Easter Resurrection Salvation Servant of the Lord Suffering Trust https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f5a57ebbea652f0e7dc1fb080b3fc5cd.mp3 675a02ad24568f37286deb06886c338a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d15f48b0bc53626dfa0850942b6726b6.pdf b0cb1d9b1d84a8463bab80acd52611d4 PDF Text Text Crisis From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 53:12; Luke 19:42-44 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Palm Sunday, March 27, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon ... he exposed himself to face death. Isaiah 53:12 If only you had known, on this great day, the way that leads to peace! But no; it is hidden from your sight ... you did not recognize God’s moment when it came. Luke. 19:42-44 “Crisis” is a word that strikes fear into our hearts. We do our best to avoid a crisis. We speak of life in turmoil as “one crisis after another.” Crisis is a word that fills the heart with anxiety and calls up images of fear – an accident scene, the emergency room, the family waiting room next to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, broken relationships, disaster, political upheaval – and the list goes on. From crisis on a personal level to crisis of cosmic proportions, it seems our world reels from crisis to crisis. But on reflection, the real meaning of crisis is not synonymous with danger nor need it be associated exclusively with feelings of dread. Our English word “crisis” is derived from the Greek “Krisis” coming from the verb to decide. The crisis point is the time of decision. In the case of a disease it is the turning point when a change takes place - either for recovery or for death. In the case of any historical progression or series of events, the crisis is the decisive moment when events will take one direction or another, depending on the decision made, the response to the moment. My point is simply that crisis can be seen in a positive light just as well as in a negative light. Crisis viewed only in terms of danger misses the equally true presence of opportunity. Although I have not got the documentation, I remember reading somewhere that in written Chinese, the character for danger and for opportunity is the same. Thus, this insight is reflected in various languages revealing the reality of our historical existence – at history's critical junctures, at the critical junctures of a nation's history, an institution's existence, an individual's life, decision is demanded and, depending on the decision made, the consequence will be judgment or grace, peace or destruction, life or death. © Grand Valley State University   �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 2   In this Lenten series, our focus is on Jesus, the Servant of the Lord. We began with the declaration of John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” words recorded by John in his Gospel which recalled the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, the innocent one who bore the sins of his people. We noted that John the Baptist hoped Jesus would destroy sin and wickedness, bringing judgment on the world. John the Baptist hoped Jesus was the one who was to come – the return of the fiery Elijah calling down the wrath of God from heaven. Jesus, however, found his identity rather in the Servant of Isaiah – the one who brings salvation to earth's fartherest bounds, who is light to the nations, who does not crush the broken reed or snuff out the smoldering wick. He set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem, just as the Servant in Isaiah 50:7 set his face “like a flint.” His identity clear, he carried out his mission with deliberate intentionality. If we go back to the second message in the series, the focus on Jesus' identity and intentionality, we find in the text in Luke 9:15 Jesus setting his face resolutely toward Jerusalem. Luke uses the framework of a journey toward Jerusalem to tell a large part of the story of Jesus. He begins this long section with these words: As the time approached when he was to be taken up to heaven, he set his face resolutely toward Jerusalem. We can trace references to Jerusalem throughout the subsequent chapters (13:22, 31-35; 17:11, 18:31, 19:11, 28, 41). The lesson for today, Palm Sunday, finds Jesus entering the city amid the acclaim of his disciples and, as he catches sight of the city from the heights of Olivet, Luke records that he wept and uttered a lament filled with pathos: If only you had known, on this great day, the way that leads to peace! But no; it is hidden from your sight. ... you did not recognize God's moment when it came. This was God's moment for Jerusalem. God visited Jerusalem in the person and the ministry of Jesus. Luke's account of Palm Sunday is carefully detailed to fit his purpose in writing the Gospel. Jesus comes a King, but a King of peace. Did you notice that there are no palms or branches in Luke's account? Palm branches occur in John's Gospel. They were associated with nationalistic celebrations and John is portraying this misconstrual of many who hailed Jesus as a national deliverer. But Luke makes it clear that Jesus comes not as a political Messiah. In John's Gospel the acclamation is to “The King of Israel,” but Luke says only “King”, omitting the reference to the Nation. © Grand Valley State University �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 3   This is a King with a difference; this is a peaceable King who comes humbly as the Servant of the Lord, precipitating a crisis to be sure, but not a crisis of national liberation, but rather a crisis of peace or destruction. There is a great debate among New Testament scholars as to whether Jesus understood himself as the Messiah or not. The Messianic consciousness of Jesus has been argued back and forth for decades. I wonder if the answer does not lie in the fact that Jesus avoided the Messianic designation because he knew that in the mind of the people it was so heavily freighted with political and nationalistic association that it was unusable for his purpose. He resisted all efforts to make him a King - one who would supply bread (John 6) and overthrow the occupying power. Rather, he adopted the model of the Servant of the Lord who willingly bore the transgressions of his people, thus bringing peace. The crisis for Jesus occurred early in his ministry when he struggled in the wilderness. He chose the path of obedience and suffering. He set his face resolutely, like a flint, toward Jerusalem and now arriving there knows full well he will be rejected and being rejected will die, but in the rejection Jerusalem will bring upon itself disaster. For Jesus, the crisis faced, the decision of obedience and faithfulness resulted in death – but finally in resurrection. For Jerusalem, the crisis faced, the decision of rejection resulted in terrible destruction. Luke spoke of God's moment - literally the time of visitation. Time in the Greek is Kairos - time understood in terms of its content - filled time, time filled with significance. Not “Chronos” - the idea of time as duration, the succession of moments. There are those moments within the succession of moments, the flow of time which are critical, crisis moments - filled with danger and opportunity. How we respond, how we decide at such moments determines our destiny. History is a tale of judgment and grace because it is a flow of moments punctuated by Kairos times - moments of crisis. God's purposes will be fulfilled, but the part we play is determined by the response we make. We are always caught in the tension between the way of the world and the way of Jesus. The way of the world seems so real. The way of Jesus seems so futile - indeed, it leads to crucifixion. But the paradox is that the apparent conquest of worldly ways ends in death and destruction and the way of Jesus leads through death to resurrection. © Grand Valley State University �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Today we remember Jerusalem's crisis. Today we know that we, too, stand in crisis: To preserve our life, or to lose it for the sake of the Gospel. To play it safe, to secure ourselves, to operate with worldly wisdom, or to trust God and follow Jesus in the ways of peace. Our world is full of crises: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict reminds us so starkly of Jesus' words and weeping. Northern Ireland, South Africa, Central America. Christ Community - called anew to total commitment to the ministry of grace, healing and care. And each of us - to find our peace in Jesus. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Palm Sunday Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Luke 19:42,44 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880327 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-27 Title A name given to the resource Crisis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 27, 1988 entitled "Crisis", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Palm Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 19:42,44. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Palm Sunday Peace Servant of the Lord Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/40bfb797fcfeab7aa37264e56ea7879c.mp3 8c2d5279eeba37cd1bf498c03a3ee485 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent V Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 42:3, John 13:15 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880320 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-20 Title A name given to the resource Compassion Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 20, 1988 entitled "Compassion", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 42:3, John 13:15. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/87860f7ac5db19b325ef41eefb097fdd.mp3 89eb7a32b95accc4908f6d5ffade9bfd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75f6bddf1718efce25fe67c42e7a8235.pdf f088ae7335f934874d1fbd7d4d8dcff6 PDF Text Text Universal Salvation From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 49:6; John 12:32 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan March 6, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to earth’s fatherest bounds. Isaiah 49:6 ... and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. John 12:32 A misprint of the text from John in the bulletin gives me a beautiful opportunity to make the point of the message. Jesus does not say, as printed, “I will draw all my people to myself;” rather, he says, “I will draw all people to myself.” I changed the word “men” in the original to “people” in order to use inclusive language, but the point is Jesus is talking about all, not “all my.” “All my” is what the Church has traditionally taught and it has allowed Christian people to understand the Gospel in an exclusivistic sense - us and no more. The text, however, is not exclusive, but inclusive - Jesus says, according to the witness of the fourth Gospel, “I will draw all to myself.” What are we to do with such a claim? The Church has for years been saying that Jesus will draw his own people, and that the others are out of luck. The Church in its traditional and in its orthodox understanding of the Christian faith, has claimed that there are some who are saved and there are some who are lost. And so, the Church in its understanding, its self-understanding, has been very comfortable with the printed mistake in our bulletin. We’ve always felt rather cozy about that, but that is not really what Jesus said. He said, “I will draw all people to myself.” Now, if he meant every man and woman, young person and child in the whole world, then he would be speaking about a universal salvation. That is not what the Church has traditionally taught, but that’s what that text would seem to point toward. And that’s not the only text that seems to point in that direction. I want to talk to you about that issue, not because I have the mystery solved, not because © Grand Valley State University   �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 2   you have to believe it the way I am believing it in my own continual search for understanding, but simply because I want to open up a facet of the Gospel which is so amazing and wonderful that maybe it’s better than we ever dreamed. Wouldn’t it really be wonderful if it were true, if we would finally come to discover in the presence of God that when Jesus died and rose again, he died and rose again not for some, but for all? Wouldn’t that be great? You wouldn’t be disappointed, would you? I mean, you wouldn’t say, “Don’t know why I worked so hard at it,” even though all the time you profess it is all of grace and not of works. Let’s think about it, because it’s important for us, in any case, to understand our mission to bring the story to the nations. There is a very strong biblical strain that tends toward universal salvation. There is another whole stream, obviously, that seems to refute it; otherwise the orthodox Church would not have refuted it all these years. But, what we’ve not done in the orthodox and traditional churches – and I’m talking about the Augustinian stream of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Reformation, Luther, Calvin, the Reformed tradition - what we’ve not done in those traditions is to be honest with the universalistic text, such as our text for this message. I want you to see this stream; I want you to think about this, raising the question whether or not the grace of God is not broader and the love of God not deeper, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ more wonderful and amazing than we have ever yet dreamed of. It is a real question which the Church must think about and wrestle with because, historically, we have stumbled over this problem. We have said in the Augustinian and the Calvinistic streams of the Church that salvation is of God. Not that He sets it all out there and you can take it or leave it. We’ve talked about His electing grace before the foundations of the world. We’ve talked about being chosen in Christ in eternity. And we have talked about the fact that it is all God’s initiative, that what we believe, if we respond, is because, first of all, we have been given the gift of faith. But then, we have also had to deal with the mystery that someone sitting right next to us, hearing the same message, doesn’t respond and doesn’t believe. Now, how do you explain that? Well, the good old Calvinists, the strong Augustinians say, Election and Reprobation - God chose that one and abandoned that one (didn’t choose that one or reprobated that one or condemned that one, depending on how strong one’s stomach is). And so, the mystery was read back into God. And there was nothing that you could say beyond the fact that God chose one and didn’t choose another; God chose one, reprobated another. Now, you could say, well, the ones that were chosen didn’t deserve to be chosen, and the ones that were lost deserved to be lost. But if I am chosen and I believe and I have the gift of faith and I know that I’m unworthy and it’s all of God’s gift and my neighbor next to me really isn’t so different from me, but doesn’t believe, I don’t feel too comfortable with the fact that I got chosen and obviously he didn’t when I’m no better than he. And just to say that it’s a mystery, he lost, I’m saved, doesn’t sit real comfortably with me. But that’s the traditional answer. © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Now, there were those that reacted against that strong Calvinist tradition. They are called Arminians. They are named after Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) who was a professor at Leiden in The Netherlands. Arminius didn’t really like that kind of hard, Calvinistic election/reprobation idea, and so he suggested that God foresees how one will respond and then elects. Finally, however, when you boil it down, He puts the choice on the person so that God sets it out and human beings decide if they will come in or not. Calvinists say, “No.” Something this big and this important is not a matter of human will. Human will is dead. We’re all dead. It can’t be the human choice. Billy Graham preaches the Gospel legitimately - believe and respond and be saved. But the Calvinist knows when he says, “If you have faith, you’ll be saved,” that one won’t have faith until God gives faith and if God gives faith, that puts the problem back with God. So, we struggle with this matter, some putting the stress here, some there, but the Church never really comes clean and feels very comfortable about it. That is why I invite you to consider the possibility, not a dogmatic, absolute assertion, but the possibility that God’s love is broader and His grace is more amazing, and the Gospel is more exciting than anything we have yet dreamed of. Let’s do some biblical study. Abraham was called and God said, “I’ll be your God and a God to your seed after you and in you all nations of the earth will be blessed.” A universal intent was already there in that particular choice. And we know that God chose Abraham not to the exclusion of the rest of the people, but God chose Abraham and Israel on behalf of the world. God chose them, not because He was satisfied with only a few and the rest were just out of luck, but He called a few, to deal with a few, to reveal Himself to a few, to shower His grace on some, in order that they could be light and bring light to the rest. In Isaiah, in the servant passages that we have been studying, we also find that same kind of universal tendency breaking out. The Servant of the Lord in the forty-ninth chapter that we read, which is the second of the servant songs, understands himself to be chosen by God, elected by God, and he says, “He made my tongue his sharp sword.” His was a ministry of the word. As the poem closes, the servant recognizes that he has not only the commission he understood, first of all, to gather the tribes of Jacob, but he realizes that God has extended his mission. We read, “I will make you a light to the nations, to be my salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds.” The poem opens, “Listen to me, you coasts and islands, pay heed to me you people far away.” Now, that’s not insignificant, because this is Israel, Israel thinking of itself as having a special insight into the knowledge of the true God, and it did! But it is beginning to see, at least in the voice of Isaiah, that there is a mission beyond Jacob, that there is a mission to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds. The servant, of course, was a model for Jesus’ ministry, and we’ve always understood that with the coming of Jesus, the salvation that God worked in Israel © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 4   was broadened out and became a universal salvation spreading to all nations. After the resurrection, Jesus gave the great commission, charging the Disciples to go and preach the gospel to all nations. Thus, there was that kind of universal tendency, that breaking out of the narrow bounds of Israel into the broader stream. But, you say to me, well, that’s all true. We’ve always believed that and that’s why we send missionaries, but that doesn’t say that every single man, woman, child in the whole earth comes to salvation. And you’re right. But, let’s go to the Gospel of John. I begin a little before my text, in the tenth chapter of John. I want you to see that John is building up to the point at which he will present the saviour of the world. Remember chapter ten, the beautiful story, the Parable of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? As he presents himself as the Good Shepherd, he says, “I know my own sheep and my sheep know me. My father knows me, and I know the father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. But there are other sheep of mine not belonging to this fold whom I must bring in. And they, too, will listen to my voice. There will be one flock and one Shepherd.” You say, right, that’s why we do evangelism because we quote that word of Jesus, “Other sheep have I.” But, now, hear it in these terms. Jesus talking in the context of Israel saying, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I have other sheep and they will hear my voice and there will be one shepherd and one fold.” Then in the eleventh chapter we have the raising of Lazarus and you know what a stir that caused. John used that at this point in the Gospel as the supreme sign Jesus, the Giver of Life. It caused quite a stir. And the Pharisees got worried. After the raising of Lazarus, they called a caucus. They were disturbed because they could see the popular impact of this miracle. They were worried. Their leader, the old, cynical politician, Caiphus, the High Priest, the very man in all the world who should have been concerned for the salvation of the world, said, “Use your heads. You don’t know anything at all.” And then, with his bitter cynicism, he said, “It is more to your interest that one man should die for the people than the whole nation should be destroyed.” Caiphus had the solution. Jesus making waves - rub him out. But then, John, our Evangelist, sneaks in behind Caiphus and writes something on the blackboard. He says, “He did not say this of his own accord, but as the High Priest in office that year he was prophesying ...” Cynical, old Caiphus. God had.the last laugh. Caiphus, you didn’t understand it, but you were speaking the truth. In truth, one would die for the nation, but now get this. Jesus would die for the nation, but “would die not for the nation alone, but to gather together the scattered children of God.” Then Jesus came riding into Jerusalem and the religious leadership was really nervous and at the end of the Palm Sunday account we hear the Pharisees again saying, “You see, we can do no good at all. The whole world’s going after him!” © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 5   The next verse we have Phillip coming up and tapping Jesus on the shoulder and saying, “Jesus, there are some Greeks here at the Festival and they want to see you.” We never read anything more about the Greeks; we don’t know if they ever saw Jesus or not, but John used that little incident as the trigger, because as soon as Phillip said to Jesus, “There are some Greeks here that want to see you,” Jesus said, “Now is the hour.” Jesus said, “This is it!” Jesus knew that he was approaching the climactic moment. The Greeks who sought him were token representatives of the nations that would come. Throughout the Gospel of John you will find Jesus saying, “Not yet. My hour is not yet. Hold on.” Suddenly, something as insignificant as a party of Greeks at festival wanting to see him, and he says, “This is it! This is the Hour.” Then he begins to speak about how the grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die if it were to bear fruit, and he says, “Now is my soul in turmoil. What should I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this hour came I forth. Father, glorify Your name.” The Gethsemane experience, which John doesn’t record, he relates in this way. Here is the struggle of Jesus, the shrinking from the darkness that was now looming largely for him, knowing that he would pass through all of the depths of hell, that somehow or other all of the darkness and all of the sin and all of the evil of the world would be absorbed into his own person and he said, “What do I say? ‘Get me off the hook?’ No, this is why I came. Glorify Your name.” Then he went on to say, “And I if I be lifted up, will draw all to myself.” There you have Jesus’ own self-understanding as he stood on the threshold of the cross. And that still doesn’t demonstrate the fact that every man and woman ever born will sometime or other, somehow or other, come into the light of the presence of the grace of God, but it does say that there is a universal stream in the scripture that in the beautiful words of Isaiah sees salvation as spread to earth’s fartherest bounds. Without answering the myriad questions that must come to mind as we begin to “hear” the universal scope of the salvation of our God accomplished through Jesus, The Servant of the Lord, let me begin to address at least some of the questions that must come to mind. First: If God’s grace finally triumphs in the case of the whole human family, doesn’t that make light of human rebellion and sin? Certainly there is a powerful and destructive entanglement of evil with human affairs, personal and corporate. Doesn’t it matter that there are persons and syndicates of persons involved in drug trafficking that makes them millions of dollars and threatens to destroy the fabric of society and bring ruin and tragedy to countless lives? Doesn’t it matter if Noriega pays off his military officers and thus stands solidly entrenched in power even though it would seem that he has profited from illegal trafficking in drugs and guns? © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 6   Is it a matter of indifference to the God of heaven and earth that there exists terrible suffering, persecution, oppression in the world? Will victim and victimizer be welcomed alike into the Kingdom? An important and obvious question, and the answer is unequivocal. Certainly it matters. Certainly God cares. The whole Scripture cries out for justice, for righteousness. The whole Scripture testifies to God’s siding with the oppressed against oppressor, the weak against the strong. Where, then, will evil be overcome? Where, then, will all the horror and hurt of the human story be removed? The answer is the cross. Why did Jesus shrink from it? “What shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this hour came I forth. Father, glorify your name!” I have no gift of description, no capacity for understanding that could possibly bring to expression the horror of the hell that Jesus endured on the cross as he absorbed like a sponge the sin of the world. You ask further: Do we get off scot-free? I answer, yes and no. Yes. Jesus took the rap for you and me. God made him to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He bore our sins in his body on the tree ... There is now therefore no condemnation ... No, if you mean can I raise hell all my life and waltz blithely into heaven.This is where I increasingly see the necessity of a serious encounter with God at our death. As C. S. Lewis writes, Our souls demand purgatory, don’t they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, “It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your eyes drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy.”? Should we not reply, “With submission, Sir, and if there is no objection, I’d rather be cleaned first.” “It may hurt, you know,” “Even so, Sir.” (Letter to Malcomb) Judgment is real. Nobody gets away with anything. God is not mocked. Either now or at my death, I will see, I will know, I will recognize, I will own who I am, what I have done. And sooner or later I will see and comprehend and be © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 7   overwhelmed by what Jesus has done for me, what the grace of God has accomplished on my behalf. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. And then I will sing, O, to grace how great a debtor ... love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. One further question: Why the urgent call to discipleship, the call to follow Jesus, to take up the cross, to die to self and bear fruit? Why not just relax and let the process develop? Nobody will finally burn anyway. The answer: We share the good news not so that persons will not be damned eternally; rather, we share good news so persons will not be damned as they live in the hell of their guilt and fear and entanglement in evil. Further: How can we be still when the news is so good? How can we remain silent before the amazement of God’s grace? How can we be blasé in the presence of such love? We’ve not done the job very well in the Church. The news we’ve shared has not been all that good. We’ve been smug and self-righteous ... Think of the Sunday School chorus, One door and only one and yet the sides are true, I’m on the inside, on which side are you? We’ve drawn a line. We’ve been certain we were on the right side. We’ve invited others to come over and join us and be like us. Our message to the world has been a moralizing message filled with oughts and shoulds - the tyranny of the ought has wiped out the sound of good news. Our message has been characterized more by condemnation and threat with a liberal dose of fear than the sheer joy of a grace beyond our fondest dreams. But it doesn’t really work. It still works some places with some people, but it usually backfires and finally will never bring the world to God. Why get so excited about our mission to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds? Because the news is so good, so amazing, so unbelievably wonderful! God saves! © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 8   God saves - God does not simply set it out and make it possible, waiting to see if there are any takers. No, God saves. And God saves. The grace of God in Jesus Christ will triumph - to earth’s fartherest bounds. All God’s children will finally come home. Why us? Because - we’ve been given the wonderful news, we’ve been let in on the secret. And all around us are people hurting, broken, hopeless, knowing no light or joy or peace. It is ours to share the joy, spread the news, love the world. Jesus has been lifted up - on the cross where he took our judgment, into heaven where he reigns, and is drawing the whole world home to the Father - and he invites us into that highest of all vocations: to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds until all God’s scattered children join hands in the presence of Jesus, singing, Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, Now and forevermore be Thine! Amen © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent III Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 49:6, John 12:32 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880306 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-06 Title A name given to the resource Universal Salvation Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 6, 1988 entitled "Universal Salvation", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 49:6, John 12:32. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Forgiveness Inclusive Grace Judgment Lent Universal Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f6b20f8812b51cedcc703687634c6cf2.mp3 4bd4070364c700f127f11952bde5fb65 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bde6deaf0369883bfdcdc9c1be14a791.pdf cde64639b4bc58a4ced72752f5b1a57a PDF Text Text Identity and Intentionality From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan February 28, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon I have set my face like a flint... Isaiah 50:7 ... he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 Tomorrow I give my first lecture to The Introduction to Preaching class. At some time during the term, I will address the matter of telling sermons. I will not use today’s title as an example of how to do it. If you come to worship on the basis of the title of the message, you would not likely have come this morning. “Identity and Intentionality.” Doesn’t sound very promising, does it? I grant you it is about as prosaic as one could get. My only justification for my title is that it points to precisely what I want to set before you: That as God’s People we must be clear about our identity and intentional in the execution of our ministry. Identity: Who we are. Intentionality: The deliberateness with which we do what we are called to do. Let me set this message in the context of Lent/Eastertide, 1988. The Lenten focus, Part I of this series of messages, is “The Servant of the Lord.” We are examining the vocation of the Servant in Isaiah 40-55 and the fulfilling of that vocation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus who adopted the Servant motif as the model for his ministry. Jesus understood himself to be the Servant of the Lord. Jesus calls us to be a Servant People. By understanding the Servant concept in Isaiah and how Jesus lived it out, we will be instructed and inspired to realize our © Grand Valley State University   �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 2   calling to be The Lord’s Servant community and to do so with self-conscious awareness and intentional resolution. That is our purpose. Should I be successful in that purpose, then the on-going development of the Christ Community story will follow as a matter of course, then our response will be, not to a charismatic leader, not to a finely-tuned campaign of manipulation, but to the Word of God. Let us begin then with the portrait of the Servant as it comes to expression in the third of the four Servant Songs in Isaiah 40-55. The Old Testament text is Isaiah 50:4-9. The Servant describes his calling, the opposition he encounters, the confidence he has in God Who called him and then gives us this vivid image: I have set my face like a flint The servant of Isaiah had a clear sense of identity; he was convinced that he was called of God to speak to God’s people in Babylon a word of forgiveness and imminent salvation from their experience of exile. Remember, this is the prophet whose opening words are. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her this, that she has fulfilled her term of bondage, that her penalty is paid. This is the prophet to whom a voice said, “Cry!” In the third Servant Song which is our present focus, the Servant says, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher.” He goes on to tell how God has sharpened his hearing so that he might learn the word to speak to God’s people. He encountered opposition; he suffered scorn and mocking. Yet he remained confident: ... The Lord God stands by to help me; therefore no insult can wound me. I have set my face like a flint. The Servant was a messenger of God’s salvation and with that clearly before him, he resolutely determined to carry out his task. I have set my face like a flint. That is a wonderful image. It speaks of one who has sense of identity and a certainty about what one is called to be and do and who looks neither to the right nor the left, but with single-minded determination pursues a course straight for the goal. If you want to understand it in contemporary terms, contrast that image with the presidential hopefuls - Republican and Democratic alike, who in Iowa sang the © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Iowa fight song, in New Hampshire sang a New England tune, and are articulating with studied ambiguity their Southern strategy in preparation for Super Tuesday. Hardly flint-like; closer to a waxed nose profile. When Luke told the story of Jesus, he borrowed the image of Isaiah to describe the resolution of Jesus as he set out for the final confrontation in Jerusalem. In our New Testament text, we read, As the time approached when he was to be taken up to heaven, he (Jesus) set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. (9:51) Luke sets his Gospel from 9:51 to 19:44 in the context of the journey to Jerusalem. We know that the Gospels are not biographies of Jesus, and the Gospel writers were not giving a chronological account of successive days and weeks in the life of Jesus. The Gospels are faith statements, theological documents, deliberately composed to portray who Jesus was and what he came to do. And so the journey to Jerusalem in Luke is not so much a geographical concern as it is Luke’s way of telling the way of Jesus and inviting others to join in and follow that way. But we know there was a time in Jesus’ ministry when he deliberately set out for Jerusalem with the intention of bringing his message of the Kingdom to final confrontation with the Jewish established religious institution. What Luke conveys with this introductory word is the flint-like resolution with which Jesus pursued his course. Like the Servant in Isaiah to whom Jesus looked as his own model, Jesus knew himself claimed and called by God to bring salvation to the world. Like the Servant he met opposition, but he did not waver. He had a strong sense of identity; with deliberate intentionality he moved toward the goal. All of this is wrapped up in that little phrase, ... he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. Self-aware, intentional, he set out to fulfill the will of God for his life. Luke sets the ministry of Jesus in the context of the way to Jerusalem and writes his Gospel as an invitation to all who read to follow Jesus on the way. It is an invitation to us who are once again on Lenten pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to Holy Week, to crucifixion and resurrection. As we contemplate our identity as the People of God, followers of Jesus Christ, we too must test the resoluteness of our intention. Nowhere does Jesus call people to discipleship under false pretense. In the immediate context of Jesus’ own setting out, Luke gives us some clues as to the nature of that discipleship. We learn at once that the mission to which we are called involves neither coercion nor angry reaction. © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 4   To go from Galilee to Jerusalem involved going through Samaria, and the relations between Jews and Samaritans were strained, to say the least. Most Jews would circumvent Samaria going by way of the Jordan East Bank. But Jesus sent his disciples ahead to make arrangements to go through Samaria. This was a sign of his care, a token of friendship, but the Samaritans wanted nothing to do with him since he was on his way to Jerusalem. They rejected his approach. James and John were furious. They wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans like Elijah had done. But Jesus rebuked them and they went to another place. It is interesting that John the Baptist, too, had wanted Jesus to be a second Elijah, but Jesus chose rather the Servant of Israel as his model. The Servant accepted his suffering voluntarily, trusting his cause to God Whom he believed would vindicate him. As followers of Jesus there will be an honest approach, invitation, offer of the Gospel, but never coercion. The Gospel is offered, the invitation is given, but there must be no force-feeding. And never is angry reaction in order. We call down no fire from heaven on those who reject the message, who spurn the offer of the Gospel. If there is, we have too much of ourselves, too much of our own ego invested. As they proceed on the way, an enthusiastic candidate for the Kingdom comes and says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus says, “You will? Do you really know what you are saying? Foxes have holes and birds their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” This is not an isolated instance. Jesus always cautioned, “Count the cost,” for he never apologized for the self-sacrifice expected of the Christian. Jesus met another person and invited him to follow. He said, “Yes, but let me bury my father first.” Now, it’s unlikely that his father had died; he was saying I have obligations to family first; then I will follow. Jesus’ response was, “Leave the dead bury the dead; you must announce the Kingdom.” And then there was one who said he wanted to follow but first return home and say farewell to his family, to which Jesus responded, “No one who sets his hand to the plough and then keeps looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” In the citing of these examples immediately after portraying Jesus with his face set resolutely towards Jerusalem, Luke is saying clearly that the call to follow Jesus involves a clear identity and a resolute intentionality. Identity - The Servant of the Lord called by God to hear his word and speak his word - to proclaim the Kingdom, to announce God’s great salvation. © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Intentionality -To be resolute, having counted the cost, willing to sacrifice, willing to give God’s program priority, willing to give it undivided attention. Let’s bring it right down to Christ Community and let’s think first of all of the ministry we share together - We are People of God; we are followers of Jesus Christ. We have heard the good news, the Gospel of grace, and we have experienced that grace, receiving the word of forgiveness, knowing ourselves taken up into the love of God. Seventeen years ago we renamed ourselves - we took the name Christ Community as a statement of the identity we would seek to realize, defining the kind of community we desired to become - a community of Christ’s people graced and mediating the unconditional grace of God to all who sought healing and wholeness. In many wonderful ways that identity has been realized. In self-conscious awareness we have opened our arms to all without question or condition. We have been and we increasingly are a place where all sorts and conditions of persons come and find refuge, support, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The only qualification necessary is a hunger, a thirst, a sense of need. The only question asked - Do you receive the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord? We are an ecumenical community with a broad spectrum of confessional and religious backgrounds represented. We are a diverse community; every place on the continuum of discipleship is represented in this large community - and all are loved and affirmed. What we are we are, not because of traditional structures, denominational affiliates, ethnic background; what we are we are selfconsciously; we have chosen to be the kind of community we have become. Now the question confronts us anew: Will we with resolute intention broaden, deepen and expand this community? Will we keep the story going and growing? Let me suggest that we need always to do two things: We need, first of all, to be open to all people, no questions asked, no conditions demanded. We must always be giving our life away. This must always be a place where one can come with nothing to offer, nothing to give; a place where one can enter gingerly, remain anonymous, simply be. Secondly, there must always be some who will hear Jesus’ invitation to discipleship and respond joyfully making sacrifice, giving the building of this community and the larger community of Christ top priority and undivided attention. That brings me to the personal application of this message. Let me ask you: Do you have that sense of identity as a member of this body that is the result of an © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 6   experience of grace and then the desire to share, to mediate that grace? Do you choose to be identified with an open, gracious community of God’s people? Further: Have you come to the point of intentional resolution to total commitment to the building and ongoing development of this community? Do not think I identify the Kingdom with Christ Community. We participate in the Kingdom of God but are not synonymous with it. Nor do I think one’s commitment to Christ Community is the only way to give first place to God’s will and purpose in one’s life. I do, however, believe God is in this community. I do believe grace is mediated here. The Spirit is moving here, the Gospel is proclaimed and lives are transformed here, and I believe this is one concrete arena in which to live out one’s discipleship. Many are doing just that. Over the years there has been a core that has borne the heat of the day, shouldered the load, made it all possible. Sometimes one deeply involved would say to me, “Why are there not more?” I always smile and reply, “It only takes a few.” No one is coerced into discipleship. There must never be angry reaction when rejection is experienced. And not everyone is at the point of total commitment. But, there are always those who are ready to make that move. In these weeks there will be special opportunity to enter a new level of discipleship and ministry. It is an exciting time and the joy and rewards are great. An Old Testament prophet knew himself to be claimed by God, called to be God’s servant, even to suffer voluntarily on behalf of others. Confident God would support him, he set his face like a flint. Jesus knew himself to be the Servant of the Lord. He knew the inevitability of what lay before him, but he did not flinch; he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. Identity. Intentionality. Jesus invites us to discipleship, to create here a place of grace, with self-conscious intention. Let us commit ourselves anew to our ministry. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent II Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 50:7, Luke 9:51 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880228 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-02-28 Title A name given to the resource Identity and Intentionality Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 28, 1988 entitled "Identity and Intentionality", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 50:7, Luke 9:51. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Ecumenical Lent Servant of the Lord Servant Songs Unconditional Grace Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ddef6deeb5f35b0d44080fd41a5a1d90.mp3 348f14c68dd13dd6c38261665f60d3f1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent I Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880221 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-02-21 Title A name given to the resource The Lamb of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 21, 1988 entitled "The Lamb of God", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7453d0dfd162ffe8d2147568986e3055.mp3 dd4210345bcc7042436abc6dfee538bf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Epiphany III Scripture Text Psalm 84:2, John 15:11 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880124 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-01-24 Title A name given to the resource A Community of Ecstasy Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on January 24, 1988 entitled "A Community of Ecstasy", on the occasion of Epiphany III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 84:2, John 15:11. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives