39 24 1045 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0883b4c97be1a70a2e3f09449413970a.mp3 fce42e29e3876f19f6ceb22d730def8d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/30881c2be670114fdf820cdd059c0fbb.pdf 7c5f3fecd36548018d9552e96bca5fca PDF Text Text The Re-Visioning of a Dream th 200 Anniversary of the Constitution of the United States of America Text: Exodus 2:23-24 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Independence Day Weekend, July 5, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon As we celebrate our nation's independence and the foundation of her freedom on the 200th anniversary of the Constitution, we must re-vision the dream that came to birth, rooted in God's purpose for the whole human family. To remember is to find the basis of hope, for in remembering our past, we discover anew who we are and what we are destined to be. On this Independence Day weekend, I would point you back, not only to 1776 and the Declaration of Independence, but also back to 1787 and the signing of the Constitution which has been the charter of the freedom we have enjoyed for two centuries. In doing so, I am not simply observing a national holiday, suspending for one Sunday our custom of listening to the biblical word. Rather, I am seeking to place what has happened in the American experience within the larger context of the biblical word, for I am convinced the measure of freedom, dignity and justice that has been achieved in our nation's history is reflective of God's revealed will for all God's children. My purpose then is not simply to celebrate the past, but to remember the past in order to find the pattern and the inspiration to bring the blessings we have enjoyed to an ever-wider circle of earth's children. In May 1787, 55 delegates from twelve of the thirteen states gathered in Philadelphia for a Constitutional Convention. The heady days of 1776 and newly won independence had finally been ratified in the Peace of Paris in 1783, but that newly won independence was by now severely strained. The new nation was a confederacy of sovereign states - thirteen sovereign states - not altogether unlike the present European Confederation bound together for purposes of trade. A confederacy is a weak instrument and the respective state legislatures wanted it to stay that way. States rights were the first concern, especially among the more numerous small states that feared being swallowed up by the larger states of Virginia, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. Each state was jealous of its own sovereignty and, without a common enemy to fight, Americans seemed incapable of preserving their union. “Lycurgus,” a pseudonymous writer in the New Haven Gazette complained that the union under the Articles of © Grand Valley State University   �The Re-Visioning of a Dream Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Confederation “is not a union of sentiment - it is not a union of interest; - it is not a union to be seen - or felt - or in any manner perceived." Antifederalists believed that the preservation of republican liberties won by the Revolution depended on maintaining the sovereignty and independence of the States. John Francis Mercer spoke for the Antifederalists when he declared that he was "persuaded that the People of so large a Continent, so different in interests, so distinct in habits," could not be adequately represented in a single legislature. Patrick Henry, the great orator of the Revolution, would have nothing to do with a central government; Virginia was doing just fine. There were other voices, however, representing a larger vision. George Washington came out of retirement to participate in the Convention, becoming its chairman; James Madison clearly articulated the urgency and critical importance of a strong federal government, warning that, without it, the 13 states simply would not survive. Indeed, in Europe there was little confidence that the fledgling nation would survive and Britain, France and Spain were simply waiting in the wings to move in. The initial years of independence were a sorry tale of weakness and incapacity to govern. Only that authority freely given by the States to the Confederate government could be exercised. There was no power to enact legislation or impose taxes. In the summer of 1786 farmers in Western Massachusetts determined to shut down the courts that were threatening foreclosure on their lands due to unpaid taxes. Shays' rebellion, as it was called, shocked the nation. The impossibility of governing under the present structure was recognized and a Constitutional Convention was called for May of 1787. One month before the Convention, Madison said the hurdles confronting any reform (of the Articles of Confederation) were so great that they ''would inspire despair in any case where the alternative was less formidable." The Convention was called for May 14; it actually began May 25 and serious discussion got underway on May 29. With only one recess, the Convention met for six days a week from 4 to 8 hours a day until September 17, when the document was signed. It was a steamy, hot, humid summer in Philadelphia. One breath followed another with difficulty. Windows had to be kept closed because of the swarms of stinging flies. Madison arrived eleven days early, drafting the Virginia Plan which became the Convention agenda. The smaller states were threatened and unyielding. On June 14, William Paterson of New Jersey submitted the New Jersey Plan as an alternative to the Virginia Plan, more to the liking of the small states. The Convention deadlocked. A committee was appointed to work out a compromise which was offered on July 5, debated until July 14 and finally affirmed on July 16. The compromise was approved by a five to four vote. From then on it was a © Grand Valley State University �The Re-Visioning of a Dream Richard A. Rhem Page 3   matter of working out the details. By September 17 our Constitution was signed, ready to be ratified by the respective states. Madison was disappointed. He felt he had lost on critical issues. It fell to Ben Franklin, 81, the wise elder statesman, to present the document for signing. He said, When you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudice, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an assembly, can a perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the Builders of Babel ... Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution, because I expect no better, and because I am not sure that it is not the best. Franklin had himself made compromise. He asked that "every member of the Convention who may still have objections to it would, with me on this occasion, doubt a little of his own infallibility." The Constitution of the United States is an amazing document that has served us well and has become a model for nations around the globe. Someone has said it is our most important export. What this document, hammered out in the oppressive heat of a Philadelphia Summer, has created and enabled is the highest achievement of human government and for our priceless heritage we offer thanks to the providence of Almighty God. The freedom envisioned, the human dignity recognized, the imperative of justice decreed is a reflection of the intention of the God we worship, our Creator and our redeemer through Jesus Christ. To support that contention, I point you to the Scripture lesson from the Old Testament, the Book of Exodus. The story is familiar. Israel is in the bondage of slavery in Egypt. In the oppressive situation of unbearable servitude, Israel cries to the Lord. In our text we hear that God hears, God understands, God is aware and God responds to a people in bondage and in darkness. God responds to that situation of His people in bondage because He is a God Who wills the freedom and the dignity of all His children. Consequently, He moves in a redemptive way to bring His people out of Egypt, and we hear that clarion call "Set my people free!" God is a God of freedom Who wills freedom for His people. God is the God of freedom Who wills that there will be justice in human relationships. God is the God Who is on the side of the marginalized against those who would oppress them, for God would have all God's children free, living with dignity, with justice for all. © Grand Valley State University �The Re-Visioning of a Dream Richard A. Rhem Page 4   In the story of the Exodus, we have the God of Israel, the God of freedom, the God of justice pitted against the Egyptian gods who were the gods of the empire. Egypt was a mighty empire. It had its Pharaoh, and the Pharaoh had his gods. Perhaps you've seen the old Cecil B. DeMille rendition of the Ten Commandments, and remember that story dramatized by Hollywood. Pharaoh had his gods, and the gods of Egypt, as the gods of all the great empires, are captive to the empire. The gods of that kind of given natural system of things conceive of a connection between the throne and the altar. The gods baptize the status quo. Pharaoh co-opted his gods. Pharaoh used his gods to keep order. The people of Egypt, under the tutelage of the gods of Egypt, became the compliant servants of the order of Egypt. And Pharaoh wanted to keep it that way. Things were going very well; the budget was being met and the bricks were being produced. And then, as so often happens in human affairs, Pharaoh becomes obsessed with the question of security and his greed demands greater productivity. He looks at the Israelites and he begins to imagine a threat there. He said to his advisors, "Let's put them down. They're valuable to us. They could become dangerous to us. If we are to maintain rule, authority and order in the land, the Israelites must be oppressed." Well, you know the story, one of the most familiar of all the scriptures. Pharaoh didn't recognize that his state cult gods were no match for the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God Who revealed Himself to Moses as the God Who said, "I am Who I am," or "I will be Who I will be," or simply, "I will be there!" The God of Israel, the Creator God, the Redeeming God, the God Who was for human freedom, Who was the advocate of human justice and compassion, overcame the gods of the Egyptians, and finally the mighty Pharaoh was brought to his knees, and Israel was set free! The early founding vision of our nation finds rootage in the God of the scriptures. The dream that was born here 200 years ago is a dream that was inspired by the God of the Bible. Don't hear me as saying that all of our founding fathers were great Christian evangelical believers. But they were rooted in the biblical tradition of the God Who creates and Who ensures human dignity and stands for human freedom. And consequently, our founding reflected a dream nurtured in the revelation of the biblical God. Now, I suggest to you this morning that 200 years later it's time to re-vision the dream. It's not enough to celebrate the past. It's not enough to give gratitude for the great blessings we have received. It is time for us, as the people of God, within this nation highly blessed, to recognize that we are called to be the gadflies in society, to raise the prophetic voice in the midst of our own nation, to remind Washington, the President, the Cabinet and the Congress that now the players have reversed their roles. Now we, as citizens of this nation, represent the established and entrenched power structure of the world. Now it is to us that the God of freedom would say, "As your dream was born 200 years ago, a dream nurtured in My Will for all My children, so now remember when you have come © Grand Valley State University �The Re-Visioning of a Dream Richard A. Rhem Page 5   of age and now that you are in power that I am as concerned for the freedoms, the human dignity and the justice of the Black in South Africa and the Latino in South America and Central America as ever I was for the slaves in America or the patriots of the Revolution of 1776. Now, America, that you have climbed to the place of power in the world, my challenge to you," says Almighty God, "is to use your power for the humanization of all of society and the liberation of all My children. It is for you, United States of America, on this your 200th anniversary of that great document, to become the liberator, not the oppressor. To move for the continuing change within society throughout the whole world, not the maintenance of the status quo." As I was reflecting on this, I thought about our Dutch Reformed cousins in South Africa who believe in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and who must wince when they read the story of the Exodus and they hear old Pharaoh say, "Look, folks, those people are becoming more than we. If we don't hold them down, one day they may rise up and take our place." And from pulpits in that land the doctrine of Apartheid has been advocated, although maybe there's just a little chink in the armor now. I think about those who are living in fear and poverty and darkness in Latin America. As one thinks of people around the world striving for freedom and human dignity, one realizes that we Christians in America have forgotten that there is a higher claim upon us than to be responsible citizens of a nation. There is a higher call, a prior claim; it is a claim to be a people of God in the midst of a nation concerned for the wellbeing of the whole world. Martin Luther King said it, "I have a dream!" The prophets were those who had dreams. Moses was one who could imagine something different. Do you think that in Egypt the average Israelite could even imagine anything different? He cried in his grief, but there was needed someone to speak the word of freedom and human dignity, to speak in the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Who would set them free. The prophets were those who dreamed a dream, who created a vision and who stirred people to respond to the compelling call of the liberating God! So today, as well. How easily we get co-opted into believing that the ultimate questions are questions of national security or national preservation or national aggrandizement, or being No. 1 in the world, and we forget that the call to us as a people of God is to be responsible to Caesar and totally obedient to God Who is interested in all His children, black or white, Gentile or Jew, Protestant or Catholic, American or Russian; to know that we are called to be a people who continue to dream the dream nurtured in the Scriptures that reveals the God of freedom Who wills freedom for all His people. There is a group in this country spreading across the states in a network of concern called, "A World Beyond War." Can you even imagine it? If you had been in that hot, humid, fly-infested, steamy Summer of Philadelphia in 1787, you © Grand Valley State University �The Re-Visioning of a Dream Richard A. Rhem Page 6   would have gone to that convention convinced that it was impossible. Again, even James Madison said that the hurdles confronting any reform were so great that they "would inspire despair in any case where the alternative was less formidable." But, someone had a dream, and the dream became reality. We get too used to thinking in traditional ways; we get buried in a rut; we can't even dream anymore. But I tell you God calls us, as His people, to dream dreams and to see visions. Can you imagine a world beyond war? Can you imagine a world where all God's children could stand together in human dignity with justice for all? It's time, friends, to shed the posture of self-preservation, to stop worrying about our security, to become once again a pilgrim people under the Lordship of the Eternal God Who faithfully, as with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Moses and our Lord Jesus Christ, would lead all His children to freedom. It's time to revision the dream, to dream it all over again in all its radical newness! 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 Independence Day Sunday Pentecost IV Scripture Text Exodus 2:23-24 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-0-19870705 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-07-05 Title A name given to the resource The Re-Visioning of a Dream 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 5, 1987 entitled "The Re-Visioning of a Dream", on the occasion of Independence Day Sunday, Pentecost IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Exodus 2:23-24. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Freedom History of the Constitution Independence Day Re-vision Vision https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bccf3d6a9c37cd7364ae826df9cc1275.mp3 80624b66a00644682c92881e99099d44 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1118591ba638b4963b67cddb346225a9.pdf 31a6244d82748b69d98f223e6166b06d PDF Text Text Leadership With a Difference Text: Joel 2: 28; Mark 10:43-44 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan June 28, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon …I will pour out my spirit on all humankind; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men see visions. Joel 2:28 …whoever wants to be great must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the willing slave of all. Mark 10:43-44 I haven't had any of the Consistory newly organized last week come up to me and ask to sit on my right hand or on my left. No, there's not too much problem in the Church with people aspiring to leadership openly, and maybe the problem that James and John had with which they confronted Jesus is a problem of a former day. Yet, I hardly think so. Leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ is leadership with a difference. It is leadership that is characterized by power to rather than power over. It's just the difference in the preposition. In fact, it's the difference between, but it's all the difference in the world, the world and the Kingdom of God. Leadership in the Kingdom of God is the power to enable others to find the highest fulfillment in their human existence. It is the power to give one's life on behalf of another; it is to give one's life and gifts and energies for that greater goal for the Kingdom of God. It is the opposite of worldly power, which is power over, the power by which one dominates another, the power by which one climbs the ladder of success, the power often characterized by blind ambition. Leadership in the Church is a tricky business, because it walks that tightrope between the energy and the vision that is necessary in order that the Church may move forward, and a dominating kind of authority and power that enforces will on another or on an institution for personal ends and according to personal prerogatives. Leadership in the Church is a tricky business, because it is always steering its way between those two possibilities. © Grand Valley State University   �Leadership With a Difference Richard A. Rhem Page 2   What is true for the leaders of the Church is really true for all of us in the posture of our Christian lives, for we are really all called to leadership in the world to the extent that we are all called to be the servants of Jesus Christ in the world, and therefore we are all called to exercise the power to rather than the power over. James and John came to Jesus and asked for the positions of privilege in the coming Kingdom of glory. They said, in effect, "Jesus, when you become number one, we would like to be numbers two and three." If you look at this little incident and trace it in the other Gospels, you will find that in Luke's Gospel it is set at the Last Supper. Even in Mark's Gospel there is the announcement of the forthcoming passion. One can see that the Gospel writers had a literary sense by which to enforce their point; here you have Jesus beginning to feel the weight of the Cross, which was the consequence of the way of his life, that inevitable end because of the manner of his living, reaching out to them, beginning to share that burden with them, breaking bread with them. In that context, James and John ask, "Could we have the places of privilege in your forthcoming Kingdom?" Talk about a lack of sensitivity. Talk about inappropriateness. They didn't even hear Jesus. They had no sense for what he was beginning to undergo. They had no understanding whatsoever about the news that he was breaking to them. In the context in which he announces his own passion and his forthcoming death, they want to sit on his right hand and on his left! And boy, were the rest of the Consistory members ticked with that! Of course, the reason they were ticked was that James and John got in line first. If you read the ninth chapter of Mark's Gospel, you will find that as "they were going along the way, they were all talking about who would be greatest among them.” Mark shows us the dullness, the misunderstanding, the ignorance of the disciples throughout his Gospel, and there is probably no place at which they appeared more insensitive, or their response was more inappropriate than at this moment. Jesus just said to them, "Look, what I am about is not what you are about in every other relationship, every other connection, every other involvement in an institution in your life. What I am about is service." The model he set forth was his own life. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Leadership in the Kingdom is leadership with a difference. It is the power to give one's life away; it is the opportunity to lay down one's life in the service of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ on behalf of one's brothers and sisters. It's no wonder we're confused in the Church because, especially we, who have imbibed into the pores of our being the American way, we who respond so strongly to the call to self-realization and who treasure the freedom to become whatever may enter our minds to become, find it so jolting to run up against the characterization of leadership in the Kingdom of God. © Grand Valley State University �Leadership With a Difference Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Of course, one can be just as bad on the other side. One can be a martyr, an insipid, passive nobody who doesn't assert his will or her desire or her gifts at all, and then the Church is also at a dead standstill. There was a day in the Church in which people were brought into office on the basis of their piety, and I would submit to you that piety is one good consideration, but it's not everything. There was a time in this congregation many years ago, a hundred or so, when I was first here, when you could predict who would be elected to the office of Deacon, which was that lowly office by which you moved up to the office of Elder. The way you did it was to move out of teaching Sunday School to becoming the Superintendent of the Sunday School, and then you had also to start coming to the evening worship and if you wanted to be a shoo-in, you came to midweek prayer meeting, and if you wanted to make it this Fall, you even prayed out loud! Now, I submit to you that those are all fine qualities, and piety is important. Christian life and faith are critical. But the Church for too long was long on piety and short on leadership with energy, with vitality, with vision. There is nothing wrong in the Church with those who have a vision. The men of Issachar, one of the Northern tribes of Israel, feeling that union with David over all of Israel was the direction Israel must go, are characterized in the Book of Chronicles as people who had an understanding of their times and knew what Israel had to do. The Church is still too much characterized by leadership without vision, without a knowledge of the world and therefore without a knowledge of what the Church ought to be doing. I said to one of the most visionary young men of this community yesterday, "I'd like to sit down with you and ask you what we ought to be doing in terms of what this community is becoming." He looked at me like, "What do you mean? The Church never gets in where the action is." He's right! We've always come kicking and screaming into the Kingdom, always the guardians of the rear action, the conservative bastion of everything that is obsolete. There's nothing wrong with vision, energy, vitality, and a passion for the Kingdom of God. But, it needs always to be a passion for the Kingdom of God. Joel, the Old Testament prophet, said there's going to come a day when the Spirit will be poured out on your sons and your daughters, and your old men will see visions and your young men will dream dreams. It's not incidental that visions and dreams are lifted up as that which is to characterize the leadership of the people of God in the world, for what we are about, people, is not something that can be shaped up in worldly-wise terms, according to some rational formula of success. What we are, as the people of God, is a people that must be open to the Spirit of God so that, somehow or other, in a dream or in a vision, the truth may grip us and we may be thereby energized to realize that dream and to become the concretization of the Kingdom of God in the midst of the world - a world that is characterized by blind ambition and ruthless rise to power. There we must be as © Grand Valley State University �Leadership With a Difference Richard A. Rhem Page 4   passionate, as urgent, as farseeing, as devoted and as committed leadership, always before the face of God, always in the service of Jesus, always knowing that there is involved in leadership a cross, a dying, a suffering, but always knowing, also, that beyond the cross there is the glory of that Kingdom that shall not fail. We are involved as a people of God in the most exciting, absolutely the most important, the most remarkable movement on the face of the earth. So, my dear friends, Elders and Deacons, pastors and all God's people - let us lead with energy, with a vision borne of the Spirit, with total commitment, not to overpower, not to impose our fancy on another, but with a power to give our lives away to the glory of Jesus. 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 III Scripture Text Joel 2:28, Mark 10:43-44 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-0-19870628 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06-28 Title A name given to the resource Leadership With a Difference - An Installation 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 28, 1987 entitled "Leadership With a Difference - An Installation", on the occasion of Pentecost III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Joel 2:28, Mark 10:43-44. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Church Community of Faith Servanthood https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/38be9ece817a1e2a2b37d42be838f827.mp3 f90a2c876379a6330b5a4f8049521727 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 II Series Until We Take the Shape of Christ Scripture Text Galatians 4:19 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-0-19870621 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06-21 Title A name given to the resource People on the Way - In Great Shape 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 21, 1987 entitled "People on the Way - In Great Shape", as part of the series "Until We Take the Shape of Christ", on the occasion of Pentecost II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Galatians 4:19. 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/1e709d280e6d645b75157c6d2c3e66ec.mp3 40d6d4be3ec1418b2b3673f4dd5802a5 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/502914488d3205f1e78a39d161592c59.pdf e174fe33c2a54cb0806c7d85ec26d841 PDF Text Text Transfigured: Face-to-Face in Freedom From the sermon series: Until We Take the Shape of Christ Text: II Corinthians 3:17-18 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Trinity Sunday, June 14, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon Have you ever had an absolutely marvelous vacation in an idyllic spot, and come back and tried to tell people about it and found them to smile and say, "Oh, that's nice." Have you ever been to a retreat or to a seminar where you were just energized and turned on and inspired and came home and tried to tell your colleagues about it and have them say, "Oh, that's interesting." Have you ever been in love hopelessly, wonderfully in love, and tried to put it into words, in rational discourse that could be conveyed to someone, communicated to someone? Of course you can't do that. And if you have had an experience like that, then you can identify with the Early Church, with the Apostles. If Paul sometimes seems scrambled in his New Testament writing, just remember he was trying to express the inexpressible, and if the Early Church Fathers formulated their doctrinal understanding in philosophical language that seems rather arid and awkward and doesn't move you, then understand the problem with which they were dealing. They were trying to say what cannot be said, to make comprehensible that which is incomprehensible, to lay out the mystery that transcends our human understanding. On Trinity Sunday, I am not going to attempt to give you definitions of God. I'm not going to attempt to give you some doctrinal dissertation on our understanding of God, because to do that is an exercise in futility. But what I do want to do is take you to the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, where you have the intertwining of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit without any attempt to formulate philosophically the relationship. We really are better off with God if we stick to biblical expression. In this chapter we have an interesting discussion of God Who is the Creator and the Redeemer understood by us as our Parent, our Father. We have that God Who has revealed Himself in the face of Jesus, Jesus, the Word made Flesh; and we have the ministry of the Spirit of Christ, or the Spirit of the Lord, or the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit. And Paul weaves all of these together without any kind of systematic formulation. © Grand Valley State University   �Transfigured: Face-to-Face in Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 2   It was inevitable for the Church to try to give some kind of systematic form to this data, to try to articulate this experience, but that articulation always falls far short of the reality of experience which is given witness to in the Scriptures. Paul's apostleship being under attack, he says to them, "Look, I don't have to authenticate myself. You are my authentication. You are a letter from Christ, written not with ink on tablets of stone, but written rather by the Spirit of the Living God." In the opening paragraph of the third chapter we have reference to a letter of Christ written by the Spirit of the Living God, and so you have the action of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, but in a way that is very practical, in the way in which God has revealed Himself and made Himself known and impacts our human experience. Paul looked at the congregation of folks like you and he said to them, "You are really the authentication of my apostolic ministry because, to the extent that your lives have been transformed, it is a witness to a work of God wrought through Jesus Christ, by the Spirit. The transformation of your lives, your move from darkness to light, your move from brokenness and the darkness of superstition and fear and guilt to the joy and the liberty of the Children of God is the indication that my ministry has been authentic. I'm not sufficient for these things, and I haven't 'written' you, but Christ has written you. You are a letter from Christ written by the Spirit of the Living God." That reminds him of that whole ministry which is his in the wake of Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension and the gift of the Spirit, and he begins to contrast that with the old Covenant, the time of Israel through the ministry of Moses. He goes back to that old Exodus story where Moses, having been in the presence of God, returns to the people and his face is aglow, and the people are afraid. And interestingly, in Paul's use of that passage, Paul says that Moses put a veil over his face so that the people would not see the glory fade. It was like the glow would wash off eventually, and Moses, not wanting to have them see the departure of the glory, veiled his face. Paul uses that as an analogy, as an illustration of the contrast between the old Covenant and the new, and he says the old Covenant, the religion of Israel, which was preparatory, which was authentic and genuine, but which was not complete, was a ministry whose glory faded. It was a ministry of the letter; it was a kind of religion that was imposed from the outside. It involved Law. Law can point to life, but cannot empower life. Law can show the way, but cannot motivate one to walk the way. The old Covenant was a covenant of rules and rituals, of religious observance. Paul says the new Covenant is a covenant of the Spirit. It is a covenant of the Spirit Who creates freedom in the individual so that inwardly there is a motivation to become all that God has created one to become. In contrasting the old and the new – the ministry of Moses and the ministry of Christ, the ministry of the Letter and the ministry of the Spirit – Paul presents to us the tremendous promise of human transformation. Through the ministry of the Eternal God Who has come to us in Jesus and dwells with us by His Holy © Grand Valley State University �Transfigured: Face-to-Face in Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Spirit, we, His people, are being transformed, and that transformation has as its goal our conformity to Jesus. We saw that in the previous message. We have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. That is God's goal for us. With all of the diversity, with all of the multiplicity of our human experience, there is yet a commonality, which is a reflection of Jesus Christ from the core of our being because we belong to him and have been transformed by him. So, the thing that God is about, this Triune God, the thing that He has been about from the beginning and will finally finish in the end, is the shaping of His children to be the brothers and sisters of Jesus, and that is being effected by the Spirit of God. In the marvelous 18th verse, he says, …because for us there is no veil over the face, we all reflect as in a mirror the splendor of the Lord; (that is, Christ) thus we are transfigured into his likeness from splendor to splendor. Such is the influence of the Lord Who is Spirit. We, gazing at Jesus, are changed into the likeness of Jesus. The calling of the Christian is the contemplation and the reflection of Jesus Christ, the imbibing and the reflecting of the reality of Jesus Christ. It is our calling as people to be transfigured, face-to-face in the wonderful freedom that the Spirit creates. Not with cramped, heavy, onerous religion, but with the life-giving Spirit. Have you ever painted by number? If you have painted by number and enjoy it, keep at it. It's great! It's a lot better than biting your fingernails. But, on occasion I have seen a painting that was painted by number. I can paint by number. I'd probably go out of the lines, because I'm not a person who easily lives within the lines, and I probably would grow impatient and blue here and here. But, I could paint by number. In fact, that's the only way I could paint, being color-blind and without artistic skill. I would number the paints and I would read the number and it would not take a great deal of creativity, a great deal of skill or artistry to paint by number. It's not a bad pastime. But you never mistake a painting by number with a painting of an artist. The last time that I was in New York, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art because there was a special display of French Impressionism, a private collection that was about to be shipped off to England and probably would never be seen publically again. Some Renoirs, some Monets, and others of that movement. Now, that was a revolutionary movement in art, in painting. When you look closely you see they put the paint on heavily, and they dabbed it on. It's a very rough surface. And there is not a line that is straight. There's not a human form that is carefully formed. There's not a tree that is like any tree I was ever taught to make in elementary art! Nothing looks like anything in terms of an exact facsimile. But, when you see the painting, it jumps off the canvas! There is a use of light which causes, for example, the sun dancing on the ripples of a lake, to seem as though they are shimmering and moving. The Impressionists really © Grand Valley State University �Transfigured: Face-to-Face in Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 4   revolutionized painting. One of my favorite artists (not at all because he's Dutch) is Vincent Van Gogh, who wasn't accepted at all in his day and died in terrible poverty. One of his paintings was sold recently for millions of dollars! I hope God is making it right for him in heaven. His figures are grotesque! If you really study it closely and just focus on a figure, it's grotesque! But, stand away and you see that somehow or other the freedom of the artist created a reality far beyond what any photograph could reproduce! What we are called to, through the God Who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is not to live our lives painting by number with the scrupulosity that makes religion a heavy burden, that binds the human spirit and makes it all an onerous duty. No, the God we celebrate on Trinity Sunday is the God Who would set us free! Set us free to live as artists in this grand universe of His in order that the full potential of our humanity could be exploded and we could become all that He has intended us to be. He, the Divine Artist, Who has created us in His image, is calling us to become like Jesus. So, Paul says not in a crimped and cramped, heavy religion, but face to face with Jesus we are being transformed by the working of His Spirit within us and we are beginning to take on the shape and the measure of Jesus Christ in the fullness of our human experience. There is no way in the world that I can make that happen for you, or you can make it happen for me. I said last week on Pentecost I'm always most acutely aware at this time of the year of both the promise and the impossibility of preaching. It is like trying to tell you about a vacation that you didn't experience and that just turned me on; like trying to tell you about a retreat experience that energized me and excited me that I can't possibly communicate; like trying to tell you in rational discourse what it means to be dizzily in love. But, maybe as we talk about it, as we sense that it is God's purpose for us to have us blossom forth into beautiful human beings, maybe at least we'll be clearing the ground and getting rid of that crotchety idea of religion – form and ritual and law and legality and condemnation – and see that God loves us with an everlasting love, and He's gone to the depths of the earth, to Hell itself, to set us free and let us be! It's like healing. You cut your hand, put salve on it and say that that will heal it. The salve won't heal it. Salve may cleanse it, may keep it soft, may get rid of the bacteria. Salve may remove the impediment to healing, but healing is the body's function; healing is a mystery. The ground can be cleared, but only the body can heal itself, because there is a healing, recuperative power within the body, which is there by the grace of God Who made us. So with our human spirit. So with the transformation of our lives. Here and there it happens. Now and again. It happens most often when we're looking for it, when we're thirsting for it, when we're in the place where God has promised to meet us. To be transformed into the likeness of Jesus comes about more readily if we're gazing into his face. That is, if the portrait of Jesus painted for us by the great © Grand Valley State University �Transfigured: Face-to-Face in Freedom Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Impressionists, the Gospel writers, is always playing through our being; if we sense the mastery with which he lived, the devotion, the commitment, the communion, the compassion, the love, the grace, the beauty of who he was, and with an openness and a prayer that his Spirit will be effecting that in us. It does happen, from splendour to splendour, from degree to degree - people moving toward the realization of God's purpose, which is conformity to Jesus Christ. Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II, who was not the finest Pope in Church history. He had a great ego and a desire to have the grandest tomb in Rome. Michelangelo was commissioned to sculpt some huge, gigantic, heroic figures that would be a part of his tomb. Michelangelo was his own person as well as Julius, and they got into an argument. The tomb never happened, and some of the figures that Michelangelo was working on can be seen in Florence, Italy in the same place as his statue of David. The huge blocks of granite are still there, and the figures are beginning to emerge. There's been enough chiseling and sculpting so that you can see what the figure was going to be. They are heroic figures, and you can see them as though they are trying to get out of the block! Get free from the granite! Free to move! Free to be human! They are called "The Prisoners." Many of us, much of our lives, are prisoners. There are stages in our lives when we'd like to just kick it all over and find freedom. We'd like to divest ourselves of every form of human control, every human bondage, every responsibility and obligation and find freedom. The French Existentialist Jean Paul Sartre spoke about that kind of freedom, and he was a nihilist. That means one ends up where nothing means anything. That is a possible end of freedom, understood as autonomy. Some of us give it a shot once in a while, but it never fulfills its promise. But the freedom that the Spirit engenders is not a freedom just to do whatever we want, but freedom to become what we were intended to be. Icons of Jesus, that's the Greek word, icons of Jesus reflecting his beauty from the inside out. That's really who we are - the beauty of Jesus, our Elder Brother, shining through us. Transfixed, face to face in freedom. Let us pray. God, our Father, give us a taste for that high purpose for which you have made us and to which you call us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Trinity Sunday Series Until We Take the Shape of Christ Scripture Text II Corinthians 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-0-19870614 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06-14 Title A name given to the resource Transfigured: Face to Face in Freedom 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 14, 1987 entitled "Transfigured: Face to Face in Freedom", as part of the series "Until We Take the Shape of Christ ", on the occasion of Trinity Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: II Corinthians 3:17-18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Experience of God God's Inclusive Love Spirit Transformation Trinity https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9064db2d38be5a31961c1e34bd1197c3.mp3 63f80835d8a107a9a12f0e07a240a33d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d916475d1810010de6185473f7eb935d.pdf bf2a4032a74851b07eba72bdbd6af12f PDF Text Text Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image From the sermon series: Until We Take the Shape of Christ Text: Romans 8:11, 29 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Pentecost Sunday, June 7, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he …will give life to your mortal bodies also through the Spirit which dwells in you. Romans 8:11 …predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8: 29 On this Pentecost Sunday we inaugurate a brief series of message entitled, "Until We Take The Shape of Christ." The message was expressed very beautifully in the song and movement of a moment ago, for it is true of us in our Christian experience that we are no longer what we were before, nor are we what we yet will be. We live in that tension between what we were and what we are destined to be. And what we are destined to be is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, to be shaped like Jesus Christ. I would like that image to burn into your minds and consciousness for the next couple of weeks as we reflect on God's purpose for us who are diverse in so many ways and come from so many different places and who yet in Jesus Christ are called to a common destiny - to be shaped like him, to realize in our own human experience the marvelous freedom, the total confidence, the joy that was present in Jesus Christ, our Lord, who is the model of what God intends us to be. Until we take the shape of Christ. We are people in process. We are people on the way. We are caught in that tension between what we were and what we yet will be and, in the meantime, we have the assurance that God is with us, for today we celebrate the gift, the presence of His Spirit. Today on Pentecost we celebrate the fact that the Eternal God has made Himself known to us in the face of Jesus Christ and, through the Spirit of Jesus, indwells us, permeating our every pore, pervasive throughout our world - that God is with us. © Grand Valley State University   �Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Pentecost is the day which brings to my mind more acutely than any other time the promise and the impossibility of my task. Pentecost is the day in which I know the impossibility of my task, for I point you to a reality and to an experience which is beyond the possibility of knowing and which is beyond the possibility of defining in rational discourse. There are many things that I could teach you and I try from week to week to speak in a reasonable and in a rational manner so that there is a kind of logic and movement and so that the message is understandable, so that there is some point to it that may be grasped and understood. And yet the impossibility of preaching is that I point you to an experience that is beyond knowing. Preaching is the attempt to express the inexpressible, and our attempt to know God is an attempt to comprehend that which is incomprehensible. There is no time like Pentecost in which I am more acutely aware of the impossibility of this task to speak rationally of that which lies beyond reason, to speak reasonably of that which can only make itself known to us, being apprehended by us beyond the intellectual grasp of which we are capable. And yet, Pentecost is also the day when I am aware of the promise of preaching, because I know that the very God Who is beyond our knowing sometimes takes the expression which points beyond itself to the inexpressible and creates the experience of His presence. So, today we stand before the impossibility and the promise of preaching that points to God in order that God may be experienced and our lives, thereby, transformed. Our religious practice is not just a social custom; it is not just a duty and an obligation. Our search after God, our quest for God is not just a matter of intellectual knowledge. We long for our lives to be changed, that our consciousness may be altered, that our inward life may be developed from the inside out, that we, as persons, may be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. And it is God's intention that that human transformation be occurring in the ongoing experience of our lives - that we may be changed until we take the shape of Christ. It is a fascinating idea. The theme runs through the New Testament. A week from today on Trinity Sunday, we will look at that word from Paul to the Corinthians when he said that we all reflect as in a mirror the splendour of the Lord. We reflect as in a mirror the splendour of the Lord. Thus we are transformed into the likeness, from splendour to splendour. Such is the influence of the Lord Who is Spirit. And when he was writing to the Church at Galatians with whom he had a controversy and about whom he cared so deeply, he said at one point, "I am in travail, labor pains with you over again until you take the shape of Christ." And in this eighth chapter of Romans, he says that we have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. On this Pentecost Sunday I am pointing you to a great biblical truth which is beyond our comprehension – and beyond my ability to effect in your life, beyond our human possibility to trigger and to cause to happen. And yet a great mystery © Grand Valley State University �Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image Richard A. Rhem Page 3   that through the grace and the power of the living God, does happen and can happen and will happen. Our human personality will be invaded, penetrated, permeated by the presence of the Living God Who is Spirit and thus we will be transformed and moved on the way until, finally, we take the shape of Jesus Christ. We are no longer what we have been, and we are not yet what we will be, but we are a people in process who are being shaped by the Spirit of God more and more to reflect Jesus Christ, our Lord. I stand before an impossible task, and yet I keep doing it because of the promise of Pentecost. In preaching, one is always pointing beyond one’s possibility to a mystery that now and again, here and there, in this one and in that, erupts into the fullness of the presence of God. A couple of weeks ago when I visited my son Joseph at his headquarters I saw what I expected to find - total chaos. There were computers all over the place, some of them were all together, some of them looked as though they had disgorged their bowels. There were computer chips and wires and cables and pieces and parts sprinkled liberally with empty Diet Coke cans and unwashed coffee cups. The scene of frantic activity in the midst of a setting that would make a mother cry. And as I saw it all, I thanked God that now my life is nearly over and I think I will escape having ever to touch one. But, as I looked at the bowels of the computer with their circuitry and all of their mystery, I said to myself, "If my life depended on it, I could master this technology. If my life depended on it, and I were willing to give the time and the energy to it, I could come to understand the computer inside and out." Being as old as I am, now in the springtime of senility, I don't even have to face that problem. But, I know that that mystery which is so terrifying to all of us who were born before 1950 - that mystery can be handled. That knowledge can be harnessed. It would be possible for all of us in this room, given the time and the energy and the instruction to master the mystery of the computer. Because finally there is no mystery. Finally it is reducible to the laws of electricity and whatever else is involved in the physics of that phenomenon. Son Joseph is fortunate because he deals with a mystery that is solvable. His father is not so fortunate, because he deals with a mystery that will always elude him. And so, one is destined to face that impossibility. But on Pentecost, the possibility, the promise that God will make Himself known, that we will apprehend what we cannot comprehend, that we will catch what we simply cannot research and master, that God, the Living God, will be present to us changing us, shaping us after the image of Jesus Christ. As we embark on that effort we are not left in a vacuum as though God has not spoken, as though there is no place to turn, as though we might just close our eyes in a vacuum and have something hit us or strike us or dawn upon us. What we are about as we look to that mystery is involved with a great tradition, with data that we can look at, that we can think about and reflect upon and believe in. © Grand Valley State University �Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image Richard A. Rhem Page 4   In the eighth chapter of Romans and the 11th verse, for example, we have Paul pointing to those events in our history that we have just so recently celebrated. He says there that if the Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, then the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also enliven our mortal bodies. And if you would read that text carefully, you would find all jumbled up God, Spirit, Jesus. If you read the New Testament carefully you will find that Paul is indiscriminate in his designation of the active presence of God in our midst. Sometimes he talks about the Spirit of God, sometimes he talks about the Spirit of Jesus, sometimes the Spirit of Christ Jesus, sometimes the Holy Spirit, sometimes just the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a person apart from God, but simply the presence and the power of God active, here and now. And what Paul is saying in that 11th verse, which is the joy of our Pentecost celebration, is that as we have just celebrated the Easter glory and life from the dead in Jesus Christ effected by the Spirit, that same Spirit of God is present and available to us to move us from mortality to immortality, from death to life, to enliven us. As we quest and thirst for experience of God, it is not as though there is not some hard data for us to look at and to be exposed to and to open ourselves up to. Paul is saying that something has happened in our history - God raised Jesus from the dead. God raised Jesus from the dead by Spirit, by breath. And that breath of God that raised Jesus is the breath of God that makes us alive. If we are in Christ, we have the Spirit - that's the promise. We have to take God at His word. We have to trust that, as we have entrusted our life to Jesus Christ, that the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, making us alive, giving us new life, getting us underway, moving us toward that high destiny which is to be shaped, conformed according to the image of Christ. There is a tradition then, there is a biblical tradition, there is a story of the action of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And as we hear that, as we open our lives to that, it is that story that becomes a vehicle, the message through which God dawns upon us and His grace is experienced. Perhaps the most important book published this year, and the most critical look at America's society in a long time is the book, The Closing of the American Mind, by Allen Bloom of the University of Chicago. It is an especially close look at the college and university generation and the work that colleges and universities are doing. It's a very frightening analysis of the loss of clear thinking and philosophical understanding in our academic centers. He was at Cornell in the 60s when the students came and took over the administration and the campuses generally went wild, and his comment is that the students, through their rebellion, gained freedom of speech, only to find that they had nothing to say! Now, we who are in the Christian tradition don't just babble on in a vacuum. There are certain data that is the raw material, the exposure to which puts us in the place where we might suddenly feel a fire in the belly and the dawning of life and the experience of God. Paul says the God Who raised Jesus from the dead © Grand Valley State University �Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image Richard A. Rhem Page 5   dwells in us by His Spirit, bringing life to our mortal bodies, in order to move us on the way to that high destiny which is ours. He says we know that all things, all of the ingredients of our lives, God works together for the good of those who love Him, those who are called according to His purpose. God knew His own before ever they were, and predestined that they should be conformed to the image of Christ in order that Jesus might be the elder brother with many brothers and sisters in the family of God. Pentecost is about the presence of God, the Living God, full of Grace, here to transform us, to change us so that we can sing, "We're no longer what we were, nor are we what one day we shall be, but we are a people on the way," the most mature of us but a babbling infant. And yet, even a babbling infant is beginning to learn the language that one day will open the richness of all of history and the promise of heaven. If the Spirit by which God raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then that Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will enliven you, will bring life to your mortal body, and you will be on the way, all the ingredients of your life working together for the realization of that purpose which is God's for you, that you might be shaped in the image of Jesus Christ. Pentecost is the day of that great freedom and liberty of the children of God. Pentecost is that day when we break loose and celebrate our freedom, and celebrate our trust in the goodness of life and the future that God has for us. The Church of Jesus Christ has become, in its institutional form, the most conservative institution in the world. We had the graduates here at the first service, and as I saw them sitting before me, I realized what we do to the younger generation. We try to hold them down. We try to save them from all the pitfalls that we experienced. Believing in their potential and loving them so deeply, we would like so much to be able to guide them in very narrow tracks for the ultimate realization of their full humanity. But, of course it doesn't work that way. The Church has become a very conservative institution. There are those who don't even want to be a part of the Church, but who believe that the Church is important because it's the glue of society and keeps the chaos at bay. But, haven't we come a long way from Pentecost, when the Wind of God swept through the upper room, when those disciples were absolutely consumed by the fire in their belly, when they went out in their generation to turn the world upside down? Haven't we tamed the beast? Haven't we domesticated the Spirit? Haven't we sought to bring God down and fit Him into a neat little box, tied up with a ribbon, so we can say, "There, we can handle that. We can control that. We can manipulate this mysterious power." Not so. God is Spirit! God is alive! God is in the business of human transformation. God says to us, "Turn over the traces! Break out! Break loose! Open your life to a mystery beyond yourself!" Allow Him to realize through you all of the potential with which you were created, because you were created in the very image of God! You have been destined to be © Grand Valley State University �Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ’s Image Richard A. Rhem Page 6   conformed to the image of Jesus, and so open yourself to the Living God Who, here and now, even in a moment like this, in a setting like this, can somehow or other break through to us, illumining our minds with that which we cannot grasp, but which we can sense. A very important sentence which has always stayed with me from Rudolph Otto is this: "The experience of God is the feeling that remains when the concept fails." A sermon can only deal in concepts. Rational discourse can only point beyond itself, and then it is that we all stand helpless, waiting, waiting, waiting 'til God makes Himself known to us, and there is a surplus of meaning beyond the content of the concept. Pentecost is the promise that there will be a feeling that will remain when the concept fails. Open yourself to the transformation of the Spirit, as the Living God would turn you inside out and shape you into the image of Christ, that you might know the fullness of being fully human, fully alive. Let us pray. O Holy Ghost, come down from heaven's height, give us Thy light. O Father of the poor, all gifts to us are Thine. Within us shine. O Comforter beyond human comforting, O Stranger sweet, our hearts await Thy feet. In passion, Thou art peace, rest for our laboring, our cooling spring. O Solace of our tears, upon the secrets of our sins and fears, pour Thy great light. Apart from Thee, we have no truth unfamed, no good unstained. Our hearts are dry. O River, flow Thou through the parched ground. Quicken those near to die. Our hearts are hard. O bend them to Thy will, Eternal Lord, to go Thy way. Thy sevenfold power give to Thy faithful folk who bear Thy yoke. Give strength to endure, and then to die in peace and live forever in Thy blessedness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Prayer of Stephen Langdon, Archbishop of Canterbury, c. 1200) © 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 Series Until We Take the Shape of Christ Scripture Text Romans 8:11, 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-0-19870607 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06-07 Title A name given to the resource Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ's Image 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 7, 1987 entitled "Our Destiny: Conformed to Christ's Image", as part of the series "Until We Take the Shape of Christ", on the occasion of Pentecost, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Romans 8:11, 29. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Experience of God Mystery Pentecost Presence of God Worship https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/62ce5bae8339f0063427a657abfc1fe5.mp3 fa4236005eae0b1d0380f11c4c4b7ed1 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 Ascension Sunday Scripture Text Hebrews 10:11-25 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-0-19870531 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-05-31 Title A name given to the resource Prodded to Love and Goodness 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 31, 1987 entitled "Prodded to Love and Goodness", on the occasion of Ascension Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Hebrews 10:11-25. 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/585feda97d5b66be549dcc229d1275a3.mp3 6beda3e6f21cfe2fd56bc14a3abae9a6 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 Matthew 11:28 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-0-19870524 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-05-24 Title A name given to the resource The Promise of Rest in a Violent and Hostile World 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 24, 1987 entitled "The Promise of Rest in a Violent and Hostile World ", on the occasion of Eastertide VI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Matthew 11:28. 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/d69b0e6d3682c917ddc1833c535da3f0.mp3 39cbb7d39ebea212f8dbae760081a626 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 Seasons of Our Lives - Scripture in Song Scripture Text Isaiah 58:13-14, Luke 19:1-10 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-0-19870517 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-05-17 Title A name given to the resource Zaccheaus, Come On Down and Celebrate 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 17, 1987 entitled "Zaccheaus, Come On Down and Celebrate", as part of the series "The Seasons of Our Lives - Scripture in Song", on the occasion of Eastertide V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 58:13-14, Luke 19:1-10. 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/4ccbfd4a4bfc366a41e0aa950d3f85b8.mp3 2e954ff08794ee3d69cf60dd608990bb 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 Mothers' Day Eastertide IV Scripture Text Matthew 12:50 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-0-19870510 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-05-10 Title A name given to the resource Family: The Place of Faith, Freedom and Love 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 10, 1987 entitled "Family: The Place of Faith, Freedom and Love ", on the occasion of Mothers' Day, Eastertide IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Matthew 12:50. 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/314ce7b627a97edc846875b8190cac28.mp3 ae5989601a31d8dc049224e8d4e429df 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 Scripture Text Philippians 2:9-11 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-0-19870426 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-26 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 April 26, 1987 entitled "Jesus is Lord ", on the occasion of Eastertide II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Philippians 2:9-11. 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/522c00faa76359d3e335b5d60cf55745.mp3 a70fd9576c9181f907103cc7e0de0d92 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a15109431c6107731e66e49e8e538e64.pdf 5da2c0dd39decccba5353c320e7d5285 PDF Text Text He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! From the sermon series: The Human Face of God Text: John 14:19 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Easter Sunday, April 19, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon Because I live, you too shall live. John 14:19 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" This is the Lord's Day, the Lord's Day of which every first day of the week is a joyful celebration. This is Easter; Christ is risen from the dead. The word from the Gospel for our celebration today is Because I live, you too shall live. It is a simple text; just seven words. You can carry it home with you; you can take it with you through Eastertide; you can take it with you throughout all the seasons of your life; it will give you confidence in your youth, courage in life's middle years, peace at the end; you can take this text to your death, repeating it as you move through the valley of the shadow, into the momentary darkness and into the brightness of the light that will greet you, light streaming from his countenance who spoke this simple, straightforward word. Jesus said: Because I live, you too shall live. Today we focus sharply on the very center of our Christian faith and hope. On Easter we celebrate and rejoice in the final Truth, the last word of our faith: He lives, we live, Alleluia! Today we celebrate the center from which our every Christian celebration stems, the reason why there is any cause at all in this world, in our human condition, to celebrate. Let me set forth but two thoughts around which to center our Easter celebration: the foundation of our celebration, and the reality that we celebrate. © Grand Valley State University   �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 2   The Foundation The foundation of our Easter celebration is the truth clearly and simply set forth in our text, the claim of Jesus, "I live." That is the great Easter reality. Jesus lives. It is the proclamation of the Gospel story. It was the overwhelming revelation to Mary in the Garden when, in gentle grace, he called her by name. It is the declaration of St. Paul in perhaps the earliest Easter document, the first Corinthian letter, where he declares, ... the truth is, Christ was raised to life. In simplest, most concise terms, Jesus says, I live. Perhaps you were surprised to find the Easter text taken from the Last Discourse with its setting at the Last Supper. That discourse begins with the 13th chapter of John, the moving scene of last supper during which Jesus girded himself with a towel and washed his disciples' feet. Death was at the door; Judas was dismissed. John tells us movingly, "It was night." It was in such a setting that the words of our text were uttered. They appear in a paragraph where Jesus is preparing the disciples for his absence. He assures them that they will not be left desolate, bereft; rather, he will come back to them. Then we hear him say, Because I live, you too will live. How are we to understand these words placed by John in this solemn setting on the eve of crucifixion? Was Jesus aware of Easter before ever he endured Good Friday? Traditionally, the Church has attributed such foreknowledge to him but, I think, wrongly. One thing we can be quite certain of: Jesus knew the end had come; his "hour" had arrived. And further, we can be quite certain that he was confident that God would effect His purposes through life or death. And further, should it be death, still Jesus placed his trust in the Father. But if you ask why I choose a text from the Last Discourse as an Easter text, let me remind you that the whole Gospel and each of the four gospels are PostEaster texts in their entirety. If, as we assume, John's Gospel is the latest of the Gospels to appear, then the Christian community had been living in the light of Easter for several decades. By this time the whole of Jesus' life and all the words remembered that he spoke were understood in the light of Easter. A study of the Last Discourse will show that it is really made up of several pieces of tradition. If, for example, you compare John 13:31 - 14:31 with John 16:4b-33, you will find that they are parallel passages, no doubt remembrances of the same © Grand Valley State University �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 3   discourse of Jesus stemming from different circles and different times in the developing tradition. There are commentators who go so far as to call these discourses Post-Easter conversations of the risen Christ with his disciples. That is probably not the case, but there is no doubt that these chapters contain various time perspectives and some of the statements appear to be made in the light of the Easter experience and the presence of the Spirit. They reflect the reality of the Post-Easter Christian community. The only point I wish to make out of all of this is that what in the chronology of the Gospel of John appears to be a pre-Easter statement is really a Gospel proclamation in the wake of the Easter experience. Raymond Brown, in his great commentary on John, writes, Although he speaks at the Last Supper, he is really speaking from heaven; although those who hear him are his disciples, his words are directed to Christians of all times. The last discourse is Jesus' last testament: it is meant to be read after he has left earth. Yet it is not like other last testaments, which are the recorded words of men who are dead and can speak no more; ... the Last Discourse has been transformed in the light of the resurrection and through the coming of the Paraclete into a living discourse delivered, not by a dead man, but by the one who has life ... (p. 582) C.H. Dodd writes: It is true that the dramatic setting is that of the night in which he was betrayed, with the crucifixion in prospect. Yet in a real sense, it is the risen and glorified Christ who spoke. Brown explains this rather strange mixture of present and future as follows: The Last Discourse explains the significance and implications of the greatest of Jesus' deeds, namely, his return to the Father; but it precedes what it explains. The reason ... is easy to see: it would be awkward to interrupt the action of the passion, death, and resurrection, and it would be anticlimactic to place so long a discourse after the resurrection. (p. 581) Having explained how such a statement as our text appears in a pre-Easter setting, I want now to examine the foundation of our celebration - Jesus' declaration, I Live. Who makes this claim? It is Jesus, the man of Nazareth whose passion we have traced in these past weeks of Lenten observance. It is Jesus our brother, flesh of © Grand Valley State University �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 4   our flesh and bone of our bone. It is Jesus, the human covenant partner of the faithful covenant-keeping God. It is Jesus whom Paul calls the last Adam in contrast to the first Adam. In sum: resurrection happened to a fully human person; it was God's mighty act, but the action was worked on Jesus, a human person who had been "made like these his brothers of his in every way," to quote the writer to the Hebrews from whom we took our text on Passion Sunday. Our Lenten pilgrimage began around the Table and the text affirmed the mystery of our salvation: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." God was in Christ. God was in this thing from the beginning, from eternity, in the conception and birth, in the life and in the death, but the one in whom God was fully present and active was the man Jesus. Our whole understanding of Jesus, of God's action in him, of the salvation accomplished through him comes from the New Testament, all of which was written a good while after that first Easter - a perspective from which the Early Church was fully convinced that God was in this thing. In order to witness to that Truth and to proclaim that Truth, Jesus was given every conceivable title of honor and dignity. There was no doubt that God was fully present to, active in, working through Jesus and when the creeds were formulated in the subsequent centuries, the way the Church gave expression to its understanding was to point to Jesus and say, True God, true man. And in the history of the Church, the "True God" soon overshadowed the true man. But we have followed a different tack these Lenten weeks. We have attempted to see him "from below" in the genuine human existence he lived out. We have attempted to see him as our brother - in fear and trembling before the "hour," determined fully to follow the will of the Father in costly obedience, setting us an example that we should follow in his steps. This Jesus: made in every way like us, the Jesus whom Mary did not know how to love, the Jesus who wrestled in anguish only finally to say, "Thy will be done," the Jesus who with disarming vulnerability faced down the alignment of worldly power determined to maintain its position by fear, coercion and intimidation. If we have done justice to the portrait of the man as the New Testament still portrays him, even through the overlay of deity ascribed to him, then Easter is really something to shout about because then a man has risen from the dead, then a human person has conquered death through the mighty power of God. Now, that's a miracle! © Grand Valley State University �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 5   This is no God-man with an ace up his sleeve who couldn't die anyway because he was God. Don't tell me about a God-man whom death could not conquer. That would be no miracle. Then Jesus was only a masquerade. Then he seemed human, but was not really our brother. Then one can say God was here and death could not touch him, but one cannot say a fully human person was here and he conquered death by the power of God, Whose will he fully followed and to Whose care he trustingly committed himself. The glory of Easter is that God raised up one like ourselves, that in a fully human existence, death has been conquered. Jesus said, "I live." That is more than I exist; that is, "I am alive with the vitality of God, the source of life, and consequently, because I live, you, too, shall live!" The Reality We Celebrate The reality we celebrate today is that we, too, shall live. That is, that we are enlivened with the vitality of the resurrected Christ and that we now are alive with the life of God and we shall move through the moment of death into a fuller, richer dimension of life forevermore. The biblical term, the great theme of John's Gospel, is Eternal Life – life in a new dimension. Union with Jesus through faith was for John the union with God that was the source of life in a new dimension – eternal life – a present possession and an even more wonderful reality yet awaiting us beyond the terminus of death. You, too, shall live. That is the transforming consequence of the great Easter event. He lives, we live, Alleluia! Again, let me stress, we are not speaking of the mere perpetuation of life, the mere extension of some kind of biological existence. It is not simply to have more of living "at this poor dying rate." Although there is a strong, natural drive to live, to keep alive, it is also true that life can become a burden. Last evening my aunt told me of an uncle who said to her yesterday, "How I wish the Lord would take me home." That is not a rare desire. He, who was full of life and loved to travel and loved to have half a dozen children crawling over him at one time, has been wounded by a stroke. Emotions are out of sync, the mind goes out of focus, the motor skills are damaged, and he who always cared for others is now the object of care, handicapped, crippled, a bird with broken wing whose song is silenced. You, too, shall live! © Grand Valley State University �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 6   But not in the limitation, brokenness and tragedy of this present experience. We shall LIVE; that is, we are now and we shall be more so, alive with the very life of God, this vitality by which he powerfully raised Jesus from the dead. In the first letter of John, the wonder of what we are now and the anticipation of what we shall be is beautifully experienced. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God; and such we are now and we know not what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Now! The present possession of life is the gift of the risen Lord and there is still more to come. In an Easter letter from prison, Bonhoeffer contrasts Socrates and Jesus. Socrates mastered the art of dying. Jesus conquered death. The first is within human capacity; the latter implies resurrection. The Easter message is a message of radical renewal. What we celebrate today is not just the return of a dead person to life, but the death of death, the conquest of death, the last evening and therefore the triumph of grace in the whole cosmos, the very victory of God over every obstacle, all darkness, every tragedy and all suffering. The resplendent strains of triumph reverberate down the post Easter decades of the Early Church. Paul writes nothing, nothing, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He breaks out in triumphant acclamation, Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Socrates mastered the art of dying. One of philosophical bent can come to terms with almost any situation or condition. One can, with discipline and concentration and contemplation, come to a measure of peace in any storm - at least some seem to; that was true of Socrates - he mastered the art of dying. But Jesus conquered death. Socrates calmly drank the hemlock. Jesus anguished before the moment of evil's assault. Jesus wept. Jesus cried for release. Jesus felt utter desolation. Socrates died; nothing changed. Jesus died and then God changed everything. Jesus conquered death through the mighty power of God and therefore it is he who addresses us on each recurring Lord's Day, each First Day of the Week, with the assuring words, © Grand Valley State University �He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! Richard A. Rhem Page 7   Because I live you, too, shall live. We shall live, my friends - live beyond a mean and selfish extension of this present scene; live beyond the dis-ease, the restless anxiety, the broken down and disappointed hope; live beyond the gaping wounds of denial and betrayal; live beyond the weakness of our mortal bodies vulnerable to sickness and crippling disability. We shall live in love in communion with Jesus, in union with God in the eternal praise of His glory. © 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 Human Face of God Scripture Text John 14: 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-0-19870419 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-19 Title A name given to the resource He Lives, We Live, Alleluia! 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 19, 1987 entitled "He Lives, We Live, Alleluia!", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Easter Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: John 14: 19. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Easter Followers of Jesus Joy Resurrection Transforming Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2e91a872be74d51efdba22afe18684a4.mp3 4b77de9807b6eeb11aeae908aac1319c 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 Maundy Thursday Series Christian Hope in Life and Death Scripture Text Luke 23:46 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-0-19870416 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-16 Title A name given to the resource Learn of Jesus Christ to Die 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 16, 1987 entitled "Learn of Jesus Christ to Die", as part of the series "Christian Hope in Life and Death", on the occasion of Maundy Thursday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 23:46. 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/4adf27dcaf2420fb92e821d4be2146fb.mp3 97709382cc7e5b8b6b5faa35fa58742a 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 Human Face of God Scripture Text Matthew 21:5 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-0-19870412 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-12 Title A name given to the resource Disarming Vulnerability 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 12, 1987 entitled "Disarming Vulnerability ", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Palm Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Matthew 21:5. 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/4b05bb3818835125c0d53302468887e4.mp3 5476d3cc08df508d06facb3a5662e211 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 Midweek Lenten Service Series Christian Hope in Life and Death Scripture Text Philippians 3:21 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-0-19870408 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-08 Title A name given to the resource Eternal Life: Reincarnation or Resurrection? 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 8, 1987 entitled "Eternal Life: Reincarnation or Resurrection?", as part of the series "Christian Hope in Life and Death", on the occasion of Midweek Lenten Service, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Philippians 3:21. 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/1c96abb0b0fd273ed40a9f1cfc6367d8.mp3 e29a82a16276a0d19e084fd65d6290e0 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 Passion Sunday Series The Human Face of God Scripture Text Hebrews 2:14-17 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-0-19870405 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-05 Title A name given to the resource Jesus Christ, Superstar: A Contemporary View 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 5, 1987 entitled "Jesus Christ, Superstar: A Contemporary View", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Passion Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Hebrews 2:14-17. 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/4582d168510ec15cc83d33628a1fb339.mp3 2fb73f220b88d194b889df199bb51491 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 Midweek Lenten Service Series Christian Hope in Life and Death Scripture Text I Peter 3:18-22 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-0-19870401 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-04-01 Title A name given to the resource The Communion of the Saints: Prayer and Those Beyond the Death Experience 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 1, 1987 entitled "The Communion of the Saints: Prayer and Those Beyond the Death Experience", as part of the series "Christian Hope in Life and Death", on the occasion of Midweek Lenten Service, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Peter 3:18-22. 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/6cee4bdce54e060e280f3213838da313.mp3 c6cdc40ef928d179451e71f2b1805b18 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 IV Series The Human Face of God Scripture Text Mark 14:36 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-0-19870329 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-29 Title A name given to the resource The Highest Freedom: Thy Will Be Done 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 29, 1987 entitled "The Highest Freedom: Thy Will Be Done", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Lent IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Mark 14:36. 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/d4985008f81f35766d88f6a0acff98cc.mp3 f3bdd3f93a79c985c66429392d7bb983 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 Midweek Lenten Service Series Christian Hope in Life and Death Scripture Text Luke 23:43, II Corinthians 5:8 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-0-19870325 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-25 Title A name given to the resource What Happens Between Our Death and the Resurrection? 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 25, 1987 entitled "What Happens Between Our Death and the Resurrection?", as part of the series "Christian Hope in Life and Death", on the occasion of Midweek Lenten Service, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 23:43, II Corinthians 5:8. 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/49b37406d73bb007eec04486186eda0d.mp3 179fb396a591512ec869c647f7e3542a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4b28b7c730b27243959ed572a6e4e78e.pdf d8f9334cad8bbd8293e41b4374ae2900 PDF Text Text Following in His Steps From the Lenten sermon series: The Human Face of God Text: I Peter 2:21 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Lent III, March 22, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon Christ suffered on your behalf, and thereby left you an example; it is for you to follow in His steps. I Peter 2:21 God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. That profound and mysterious statement from the Apostle Paul sums up very much the focus of this season, as we look at the human face of God by focusing on the face of Jesus Christ. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. That is the mystery of our salvation. And we noted last week that it was Jesus' intention from the beginning, from the dawning of his own consciousness, of his own calling fully to follow the will of God. His was an intentional obedience. It was an intentional obedience throughout the days of his life, and his death was simply the consequence of the life that he lived. And so, the life becomes a pattern for those who would follow him, for those who would in our day become contemporary disciples. The shape of contemporary discipleship is something that each of us must determine for his own life. The shape of contemporary discipleship will not be the same for us all, for we are not the clones of Jesus, but we are called to follow Jesus. We are called to follow Jesus, living out the vision with which our own lives are stirred and fascinated, and only when we're living out of our own vision will we have the inward strength and the power to live truly according to those best insights and that highest calling that we have sensed as our lives have been exposed to Jesus, who brings us to God. And this morning the text from that first letter of Peter, the second chapter in the 21st verse, where Peter tells us that Jesus had given us an example He suffered for us, giving us an example that we should follow in his steps. Following Jesus is our theme this morning. Following in his steps. That word from Peter inspired a nineteenth-century preacher, Charles Sheldon, to write a little book which has been published and republished and republished. It's called In His Steps. Many of you have read it. If you haven't read it, you ought to read it, even though it has all of the odors of the nineteenth century and is definitely a © Grand Valley State University   �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 2   time piece; nonetheless, the impact of its message continues to come through very powerfully. A rather sophisticated pastor in a rather sophisticated congregation on Saturday was busily engaged in his sermon preparation for Sunday, when a poor, malnourished beggar appeared at his door seeking help. And of course, the pastor, having in mind all of his people on Sunday and his heavy responsibility, was unable to respond to the need, and turned him away. And he preached about following Jesus that next Sunday morning, when the man, at the conclusion of the message, appeared in the sanctuary and raised the question, in his rags, in his pitiable condition, "I wonder what it means to follow Jesus?" And, of course, the pastor, not being totally lost, felt the impact and the guilt of his own neglect and called for those who would join with him in a new adventure of discipleship and a band of disciples in that congregation began a year's experiment in which they determined in their work and in their play, in their community life, in their family life, in the totality of their lives they would do nothing, make no decision before they asked the question, "What would Jesus do?" And the story narrated in the book is the story of a community transformed by a band of people asking that question and responding as best they could answer it. A college president getting involved in municipal election, dealing with a blight in the community; a corporate executive, discovering corruption in the corporation, exposing it and resigning rather than being a part of it; the newspaper editor changing the perspective with which news was reported. Great opposition was engendered, obviously, but transformation happened, as well, because there was a band of people who began to ask, in every situation of life, "What would Jesus do?" And the inspiration for that, of course, was our text, “Christ has given you an example that you should follow in his steps.” Following Jesus. Ernie Campbell, a former pastor of Riverside Church in NYC, wrote an article a few years ago based on a sermon that he had preached, "Following Jesus or Believing in Christ," and he made an interesting point, that when he was a young person in communicant's class, the question that was asked by the Elders of the church was whether he believed in Christ. And when he declared himself to be a candidate for ministry, the question was asked him, Do you believe in Christ? And when he was ordained to the ministry, the question was asked, Do you believe in Christ? And every time he was installed in another congregation, the question was asked, Do you believe in Christ? And the answer always was, Absolutely, yes, with all my heart. But he makes the point that in all of those situations throughout the whole of his life, the question was never put to him, Are you following Jesus? It is possible to believe in Christ without following Jesus. So, what is it to follow Jesus? To follow Jesus is not simply to imitate Jesus. Otherwise, we'd all have to don bathrobes and sandals and become itinerate, wandering teachers. The point © Grand Valley State University �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 3   is not to imitate Jesus in the 20th century because we don't want to simply duplicate, nor would it be possible to duplicate the actions, the decisions of Jesus out of the 1st century, transported wholesale into the 20th century. But to follow Jesus must be to follow him in terms of his spirit, in terms of his attitude, in terms of his response to God and his response to the human situation, to determine in our context what Jesus would do, given what we know about him from the Gospel portrait of him. To follow Jesus in our day, we will have to learn who the enemies are that we are called to love, and where the hungry are that we're called to feed, and where the broken and the lost are that we're called to communicate and mediate the grace of God. The shape of discipleship in our day will be a shape that must be determined by every one of us, and we must all live out our own vision. We are not the clones of Jesus, but we are the followers of Jesus, and in this Lenten pilgrimage we are attempting this Spring to come face to face with the call of Jesus Christ to follow him and to determine what the shape of contemporary discipleship would be - for you and for me. Jesus gave us an example, says Peter, and we are to follow in his steps. If you read that word in its context, you will find that it's a rather foreign word to us, a rather alien context to us. There' s a word about being subject to all human institutions which is in the paragraph before I began to read, and that word was addressed to a largely slave church, and the point of Peter's counsel there is that the slave was to live out his life in the parameters of that servitude in a way that would give honor to Jesus Christ. That was the specific counsel. Now, you can't translate that literally into the 20th century where we become the disciples of Jesus, free people in a democratic nation, the most powerful nation of the earth. Some translation has to take place there, obviously. We know that there is a time when we cannot simply blindly submit. There is a time when, for conscience' sake, in the cause of justice and righteousness, because of the inspiration of Jesus Christ, we must stand up and say no. But, Peter's counsel, in that context, was appealing to those slaves (and there were 60 million slaves in the 1st century, in the Roman Empire) – his counsel to people in that context was to win honor to God by their honorable conduct and their nobility of spirit. He addresses the subject of slavery and their attitude toward their masters. And the Gospel has been criticized because it took nineteen centuries before the question of slavery was finally settled. Once again, the institution of slavery was undercut by the Gospel because masters and slaves were alike called to respond to every human being as a human being. A slave in the early centuries was a thing, not a person, and masters were given counsel as well as the slaves, but, to be sure, the institution of slavery was not attacked. What the Gospel addressed was that inner servitude of the human heart and soul, not the external condition. That came later as an outworking of the implication of the Gospel. A little further on, after we stopped reading, there is counsel to wives and to husbands, and I didn't read that because I didn't want all the wives to walk out, mad this morning. © Grand Valley State University �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 4   You can read it on your way home, but I would suggest that you don't pick it up for Sunday dinner devotions. The model there is Sarah who called Abraham Lord, and went wherever he went. Marvelous! Only it doesn't work anymore. The whole context, the whole passage needs to be translated, because, again, it was a very specific word addressed to a very specific people at a very specific time. But even there we can get the drift, we can listen to the text long enough in order to determine that the call to us out of that word is to follow Jesus in the 20th century in our context, in our history, in our culture, in our society, in our community, in our families. And the spirit of Jesus Christ, that spirit that comes through throughout the New Testament, is a spirit to inform us and to inspire us and to empower us, as we seek to be contemporary disciples of Jesus. Peter says that Jesus is our example. When he was abused, he didn't retaliate. When he suffered unjustly, he didn't respond in anger. When he was crucified, in what must be the apex of human gracefulness, he said to the Father, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do." In Jesus there was this masterful freedom that we noted last week, this magnificent freedom, self-mastery, inward strength which enabled him to be in command in every situation because he was totally submissive to the will of the Father. Because he lived before the face of God, he feared no human institution and could be coerced by no human pressure group. Jesus, we noted last week, did not fit anywhere. There was no ideological group that could co-opt him for their cause; there was no well-meaning group that could, somehow or other, engage him and use him for their own ends. Jesus was sold out to God and, consequently, he walked with a masterful freedom in relationship to all human institutions and groups. Jesus was his own person because he was God's person, and in his willingness to suffer and to die, he has left an example to all who would follow him to adopt his spirit and mode of behaviour, although the particular response in any given situation will have to be determined by that vision that is dawned upon any individual human heart. This week as I was reflecting on this, I thought of Bonhoeffer. I always have to pull my Bonhoeffer down during Lent. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred in 1945 as a consequence of having joined in an assassination plot to do away with Hitler during the Nazi terror. His Letters and Papers From Prison, you know, are probably the favourite spiritual testament of my life, and so I always bring him down and refresh myself again on the marvelous way in which he responded to his call to discipleship in that very critical period in our own century. And I was reading again in his biography that in 1939, when he had visited this country, he wrestled for a month with the question of whether to return to Germany or not. He was at Union Seminary in New York City. Reinhold Neibuhr had invited him to come, and Hitler was right at the apex of his power and his ravishing at that time. And friends of Bonhoeffer pleaded with him to remain in this country. He was a brilliant theologian. He was a passionate Christian. He had this tremendous potential, and they pled with him to stay here in order that he might be spared and saved for a full life, a useful life for decades to come. © Grand Valley State University �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 5   In 1939, he took the last boat for Europe, for he said, "I may not participate in the upbuilding and restoration of my people after this terrible conflagration if I stay here in security, while they are suffering. I must join in solidarity with my people at this time, if I would participate in the new day that will dawn." And he said, "I know not what choice others may make, but for me, I must will the downfall of my own nation that Western civilization may prevail, for to will the success of my nation is to will the devastation of civilization." A hard choice! You see, the context of our text says, "Be subject to every human institution." But Bonhoeffer said, "There is presently in Germany a governmental institution that is an instrument of evil, and I must oppose it." His discipleship took a form in contrast to the counsel of Peter in a different context of history, and yet, I believe, in response to that very central appeal of our text to follow in the steps of Jesus. For Jesus was not a kind of a passive, weak, simpering, non-entity. Jesus was strong, and Jesus was free, and Jesus actively opposed what was wrong. Last week I mentioned Andre Trocmé, the French Huguenot pastor, who in La Chambon the French village in South France, created the village as a refuge for Jewish refugees who defied the French Vichy government that was the instrument of the Gestapo, who defied their order to turn over the Jews. However, Trocmé, in 1939, when Bonhoeffer was going back to Europe, wrote in his own diary, "Should I go and infiltrate the Nazi organization, that I might assassinate Hitler?" Trocmé’s mother was German; he spoke German and French with equal ease, he could just as well have slipped across the border. He was a very dynamic, powerful person; he could very well have gotten himself into that organization. In 1939 he actually put in his diary, "Should I go and do it, in order to stop what must be this ravage of darkness that is encompassing the continent?" He said, "No. That course is not open to me. To do so would be to separate myself from Jesus." In 1944, Bonhoeffer made the conscious decision to join a small group of conspirators who determined that the only solution was the violent end of Hitler. Now, it's so fascinating to me – here you have two theologians, two pastors, two passionate men, two men of great loving heart, of great energy, of great intellect, and both of them actively engaged, both of them proactive because of their discipleship of Jesus Christ, who came to a different conclusion as to whether or not to take an action of violence against Hitler. To be sure, five years separated the decisions. I don't know what Trocmé might have done in Bonhoeffer's shoes at that point; nonetheless, it's interesting to me that here were two very genuine, engaged disciples of Jesus wrestling with the same question, one saying, "I cannot do violence," the other saying, "I have no alternative but to do violence." A couple of years ago, in Union Seminary in New York, there was the commemoration of Bonhoeffer, and Edgar Bethke, the great biographer of Bonhoeffer, was asked the question, "How could Bonhoeffer, as a Christian, justify getting involved in a conspiracy in an assassination plot?" And Bethke’s © Grand Valley State University �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 6   response was, "He saw no alternative." He said, "If there is someone going down the streets of a village killing people, the question is not how you cannot attempt to put an end to it, the question is how you can sit there and let it happen. You'd have to stop it." Phillip Hallie, who in 1979 wrote the book, Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, about Trocmé and Le Chambon, the village of the refugees, said he got a letter from someone out East who wrote to him a very scorching letter, who said, "You have set forth Trocmé and Le Chambon as a passivist village that did good and was goodness incarnate, and you haven't even touched the issue. There could have been Le Chambons and there could have been Pastor Trocmés all over the world, but someone had to stop Hitler." And Hallie said, "That's true. I have to acknowledge the truth of that criticism." The point is not that one is right or one is wrong. The point is that here were two followers of Jesus who both were prolife, proactive, fully engaged, strong, caring, putting their life on the line, one saying the only alternative is a violent response, the other saying violence is always wrong for me. Trocmé was imprisoned in a concentration camp for his activities for a period of time, but it was touch and go in those days, and so they called him out in a month or two and they said, "You may be released if you will sign this statement pledging your allegiance and your complete obedience to the French leader of the Vichy government." All he had to do was write his name and walk out free. He said, "I can't sign that. My conscience is bound to the will of God. I cannot sign that." So they said, "You'll rot in prison." He said, "I'll rot in prison," and they led him back to his cell. Now, you see, we're not talking about a simpering kind of saccharine weakness that goes around the world trying to keep out of trouble, trying to be secure and find a measure of success and just keep out of any danger. That's not the issue. And the issue is not that we are all called to be clones of a certain kind. But the issue is this – we are all called to follow Jesus and to live out a vision that dawns upon our own hearts and lives as the consequence of the impact that Jesus has made upon us. We are called to follow in his steps. That's an exciting call. As I reflect on Jesus and the reverberations of Jesus that trickle down the centuries, finding expression in an André Trocmé and a Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I find that such a person is God-obsessed. There is a conscious certainty of the reality of the good and gracious God. And one is willing and able to commit one's cause to God. Isn't part of the problem of our human existence with its meaninglessness the fact that we're not sure that God is, and therefore that there is One to whom we may commit our cause? Jesus committed his cause to God. And Trocmé committed his cause to God. Bonhoeffer committed his cause to God. And then I find also that such a life is a life that is proactive, it is a life that is engaged. Not trying to survive, not trying to just get by, but living – living positively, with attention. Annie Dillard says that prayer is attention, © Grand Valley State University �Following in His Steps Richard A. Rhem Page 7   plugged in, tuned in, aware. Aware of one's world, one's community, one's neighbor, one's family, one's life. Living with attention. And I find that such a life, as I've mentioned before, is a life of wonderful freedom. Jesus didn't fit anywhere. Trocmé was a free man. Even the French Reformed Church couldn’t bring him into line, his conscience captive to the will of God. Bonhoeffer – what freedom he had. The marvelous poem that I've shared with you many times, "Who Am I?" They tell me I'm like one accustomed to live like one who is in charge," yet he's in prison. He says, "I feel like a bird in a cage." But he struggles with that inward feeling, and yet, to all outward appearances, he was one who was alive and in charge, even in prison. He says, in the concluding lines, "What am I, Lord? Am I this or am I that? Whatever I am, Thou knowest, 0 Lord, I am thine." Marvelous freedom! And then, paradoxically, joy. Joy. Trocmé was like a two-ton truck of love, rolling through the world. There was joy! Bonhoeffer brought joy to the prison camp to the cellmates. It was contagious. And Jesus, with the joy that was set before him, endured the cross. Freedom, joy, pro-life, obsessed with God. That's living, Maybe I set Jesus before you and a couple of his followers, maybe you want to slink off to the sides and say, "Wow. Who am I?" And our discipleship looks rather shoddy and shabby, I am sure. But I don't want to conclude with that strong call to discipleship without putting it in the context of grace, to say that those of us who have moved the farthest down the line have only just begun. And those of us who haven't yet begun aren't far behind. And the call is from the good and gracious God who says, "I love you. Not on the basis of your performance, but because I love you. Now, come and follow your elder Brother, Jesus Christ, our Lord." Thanks be to God, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 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 Human Face of God Scripture Text I Peter 2:21 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-0-19870322 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-22 Title A name given to the resource Following in His Steps 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 22, 1987 entitled "Following in His Steps", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Lent III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Peter 2:21. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Bonhoeffer Followers of Jesus Grace Lent Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fa4bc2787b980361014dec6e809f4a8e.mp3 a2bbecac28a58bc80ddd8bbdeb06340c https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/99248f1b3d22a7cecc145caa0ac2f494.pdf e1297a220ec9cd5fb4fd4420cef2de1b PDF Text Text Costly Obedience From the Lenten sermon series: The Human Face of God Text: John 12:27-28 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Lent II, March 15, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon Now my soul is in turmoil, and what am I to say? “Father, save me from this hour?” No, it was for this that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name… John 12: 27-28 Jesus' life has made its impact down through the centuries, and it's an amazing fact that he has changed the landscape of the world, given the limited years that he lived and the limited space that he ever occupied, the fact that he never wrote a book, he never led an army, he never really intended to found an institution, and yet the life of Jesus has so impacted the world that the world has never been the same. In our Lenten pilgrimage we are trying to find the contours of the life of Jesus in order that we might learn the contours of the life of a contemporary disciple. What does it mean today to follow Jesus? Next Sunday I will take that text from the first letter of Peter where we are encouraged to follow in his steps. He has given us an example that we should follow in his steps. To lay the groundwork for that, I want to say this morning that Jesus was what he was because of his intention at the very beginning of his life fully to follow the will of God. Jesus' obedience was intentional from the beginning. The Gospels were written after Easter, and because of that, they give us the impression that Jesus knew more than he knew, and understood more than he understood in the days of his flesh as he carried out his ministry leading up to his final crisis, crucifixion and resurrection. The Gospels, because they were written after the fact, after Easter, in the light of his victory, give us an impression that Jesus was more aware of what God was doing through him than I believe is justified. If we read the Gospels carefully, we will see that Jesus lived a genuinely human existence, one day at a time, having no clue as to the morrow, and what he understood about what was transpiring or what was building up in the future, he knew not because of some supernatural knowledge; he knew it because he was a sensitive human being that could see the outcome of the life he was living would end in the violence with © Grand Valley State University   �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 2   which his life finally ended. But, the magnificence of his life, the inspiring nature of the narrative of his days is the fact that Jesus with an early intention continued through to his death fully obedient to the will of God as he understood it. I want you to see this morning that it was a costly obedience, but an obedience that calls us, likewise, intentionally to follow the vision and the dream and our understanding of God's claim upon our lives. Jesus intended from the beginning fully to follow the will of God. In Matthew, Mark and Luke we have at the inauguration of Jesus' ministry, his baptism and then his temptation. You will find in the first three Gospels that those two events are back to back, and I think that you can reduce the temptations in the wilderness, which Jesus encountered immediately after his baptism and immediately prior to his ministry, to the temptations to become a kind of political messiah. The temptation to Jesus was to exercise his gifts and his charisma, whatever that may have been, in the cause of gaining worldly power, perhaps for noble ends, nonetheless, to carve out for himself a platform of power which would get him influence among the rank and file of humankind. Jesus said no to that temptation. John's Gospel does not record the temptation narrative for us. But in John's Gospel, it is very interesting that we get a clear idea that Jesus, from the beginning of his ministry, had an intention to live by a vision, that he was claimed by the Father and that he would follow the Father's will at any cost. In the second chapter of John's Gospel, his first miracle at the wedding of Cana, his mother came up to him and said, "Son, they're running out of wine," and he said, "Woman, don't bother me because my hour has not come." That is a characteristic note in John's Gospel. He doesn't give us the temptation narrative by which the other Gospel writers let us know from the very beginning Jesus wrestled with who he was to be and what God was calling him to be, but John does let us know that early on Jesus had a sense of who he was to be, and that his life was claimed in a very special way to work out the will of his father in the proclamation and bringing in of the kingdom of God, that is, the rule of God. So, he said to his mother, "My hour has not yet come." If you go on to the seventh chapter of John's Gospel, you will find them saying to him, "Are you going to go up to the Feast in Jerusalem? If you're doing all of these things, don't do them in secret. Go and do them in the public arena." Jesus reponded to them once again, "My time has not yet come." Jesus had a sense of being on a mission. He was living by a vision. He was consciously claimed by the Father, and he was moving deliberately to allow the Father's will to be worked out in his life, but he did not precipitate the action; he did not take matters into his own hands. He simply continued day by day, week by week, month by month to teach and to preach, to heal and to be a sign of the rule of God that had now come into the arena of human history. © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 3   And then, one day Andrew came to him, because Phillip had come to Andrew, because some Greeks had come to Phillip. Phillip's name is Greek, and he spoke Greek. Some Greeks were in Jerusalem for the Passover. They had come to Phillip and they had said, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." And Phillip got Andrew and Andrew went to Jesus and he said, "There are some people that want to see you. Some Greeks." It's as though that triggered in Jesus the recognition that the time was coming now when the kingdom of God would break out of the limits of Israel and be for all people. The coming of the Greeks seemed to trigger in Jesus' mind the recognition that now events were ready to break out on a wider front. And so, in the 23rd verse of John, chapter 12, Jesus said, "The hour has come." Jesus said, "The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified." And then he goes on to speak that parable that said unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, and so forth. There are Bible scholars who study the passage who believe that perhaps originally verse 23 was followed immediately by verse 27, and it makes good sense. Let me read it for you. Then Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. Now my soul is in turmoil, and what am I to say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ No, it was for this that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. The in-between verses are probably a commentary on what this meant for Jesus to come to this hour, but it's very possible that originally he said, "Now is the hour. Now my soul is in turmoil. What shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this hour came I forth. Father, glorify Thy name." The hour had not come at Cana of Galilee. The hour had not come when the Feast of Tabernacles was held at Jerusalem early on. But, when the Greeks made inquiry, something triggered in Jesus, and he said, "Now is the hour." And when he recognized that the hour was here, he received that recognition with fear and trembling. Again, John does not tell us about the agony of Gethsemane which we read in Matthew, Mark and Luke. John doesn't tell us about that anguished prayer, "Father, if it be possible to remove this cup from me..." But, John gives a hint of the very same kind of anguish in this context where Jesus recognizes now that things are to the boiling point, and he approaches that moment with turmoil of soul. The word behind turmoil is a word that speaks of distress, of a wrenching of the soul, and in that agony, Jesus had to say, "Now will I cop out? Now will I seek to be spared from the moment? No, no. This is what it's been about. This is why I came. Father, glorify Thy name!" That obedience which culminated in the agony of Gethsemane where he continued to struggle and anguish and pray, but said, "Thy will be done," culminated in the cross where, in the midst of the darkness, he cried out, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" That intention to obey enabled him © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 4   to stay the course and through fear and trembling, with the agony and anguish and tears, fully to follow the will of God. And I submit to you that that was costly obedience, but that it was in such costly obedience that Jesus not only was true to God, but because he was true to God, was true to himself and thereby has become such a magnificent model in the midst of our own human struggles. Jesus rightly has caught the fascination of the world. When you think of Jesus, you must be impressed with the power with which he persevered in the mastery of his own life. A self-mastery that was a consequence of being mastered by God. As I deal with people, and as I reflect on my own life, the time that we're most disgusted with ourselves is when we sell ourselves short. The time that we have the lowest self-esteem and sense of self-worth, the time that we really put ourselves down is the time when we have failed to be true to ourselves, failed to be true to the person that we believe God calls us to be. And Jesus is such an inspiring person because he lived with that self-mastery that enabled him to be a totally free human being in an age much as ours that was always trying to press him into another mold. Jesus didn't fit anywhere. He didn't fit with the establishment, the Sadducees from whom the High Priests and Chief Priests came. They were collaborators with the occupying Roman power. Now, a Sadducee could come here this morning and could make a good case for collaboration. A Sadducee could stand before us this morning and suggest that there would be no bloodshed, that there would be the preservation of the Temple, and the tradition of the fathers, and there would be a certain tranquility in society if only that independent, rambunctious Jewish spirit would rest and simply cooperate with Roman intention. Some of us are collaborators. I think I probably would have joined the Sadducees. I think I probably would have rationalized away the radical claims of Jesus by saying, "Look, it's only reasonable, it makes sense simply to play ball. There is a gray area in which one could cooperate without really betraying oneself." Not Jesus. Jesus had a sense that in him God was calling for a radical decision, and he refused to play ball with the established religious authority, and he became a terrible threat to those who were in power, for the thing that they were interested in more than anything else was the status quo that would enable them to maintain their relatively good position in that society. Jesus didn't fit. But he didn't fit with the Zealots, either. There was a Zealot party. They were the radical revolutionaries. If the Sadducees were far to the right, in their conservatism, the Zealots were far to the extreme left in their zealotry. They wanted to foster an armed rebellion against the Roman power; they were all fire in their eyes and in their hearts, and there was a time when they saw the tremendous gifts of Jesus as being the possible key to leading the popular revolt that would finally throw off the Roman power. Jesus said to them, "Look, the © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 5   problem is not Rome. The problem is not some external authority. The problem is that you are a slave to your own soul. You are not free inside. Real freedom cannot come through some form of political liberation. Real freedom is a spiritual matter, a decision of the heart." And maybe Judas, who was probably a member of that band, finally betrayed Jesus because Jesus refused to lead the popular rebellion. He didn't fit with the monastic communities of the day. We know now that out in the wilderness there were monastic communities, the Essene community, for example, that were very meticulous in the keeping of the law and the rule of holiness. Jesus didn't leave society, he didn't repudiate the world, and he didn't withdraw and pursue an inner spiritual retreat, which let the world go on its way without involvement. Jesus was not a spiritual pietist that gave up on the world. I suppose he would have granted that it was all right for those who felt called to be such, but not for him. And he, of course, was not one of the Pharisees who made an accommodation with the world, who tried to live according to the law, a legalism in the midst of a society that they wrote off with their superior self-righteousness over against the masses. Jesus opened his heart and his arms to all kinds of people. He was not afraid of being tainted by his contact with the ordinary person. He didn't fit anywhere, not with the Sadducees, nor with the Pharisees, nor with the Essenes, nor with the Zealots. There was that in Jesus that offended everybody. He didn't toe any party line. He would not line up with any ideological position. What magnificent freedom – living by a vision that was his vision, living before the face of God, freely offering obedience as he understood the will of God. What power! What freedom! Jesus ended up on a cross, but he didn't lose his soul. Jesus ended up crucified, but he never had those dismal days like you and I do when we fail to live according to our best selves, and our highest vision. He, from the beginning, had an intention fully to follow the will of God, and it got him through the days of his ministry through the conflict and the struggle of those days, and when he came to the crisis, he didn't collapse, but he maintained that posture. It was a costly obedience, for it cost him his life, because he had no political action group, he had no lobby which could go to the powers that be to get him off the hook. It cost him his life, but he never lost his life. He died, but he never lost his soul. Isn't he inspiring? Isn't that magnificent? There was a person born in the early part of the century in France by the name of André Trocmé. Trocmé was born into a rather well to do family and had a very privileged childhood. Early on his mother was killed in an auto accident, and he lived in a French Huguenot, French Reformed home in which his father's spirituality was very quiet. But there was so much feeling in André that he could © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 6   never really let loose until he joined a youth organization in France in his village, in which he was exposed to a very personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and in that experience came himself to a very personal relationship. As a young man, he began to be shaped by the vision of Jesus. One day, during the First World War, his village being occupied by German soldiers, a German soldier said to him, "Would you like some bread? Are you hungry?" He said, "No, I'm not hungry, and if I were, I wouldn't take bread from you because you are the enemy." And the soldier said to him, "No, I'm not the enemy. You don't understand who I am. I'm a Christian." And André said to him, "My brother is fighting in the war, and you would kill my brother." He said, "No, I would not kill your brother." André, said, "But you're a soldier." He said, "Yes, but I don't carry a gun. They allow me, as a telegraph officer, to do my duty without carrying a gun because Jesus has said that I must not kill." The genuineness of this German soldier so impressed André that he took him to his youth organization where the German soldier shared his witness for Jesus. That witness of that German soldier made such a deep impression on him, the German soldier having come to his conviction because of his relationship to Jesus Christ, that André could never get that out of his mind and it started him on the road to pacifism. Eventually, Trocmé became a pastor in a rather poor French village. He was leading a men's Bible study group one day and he found himself saying, without having thought ahead of time about saying it, "If Jesus really walked upon this earth, why do we keep treating him as if he were a disembodied, impossible, idealistic, ethical theory? If he was a real man, then the Sermon on the Mount was made for people on this earth and, if he existed, God has shown us in flesh and blood what goodness is for flesh and blood people." There were about ten men there, and they heard him say this, and it was like the spirit of God illumined those words. They all fell to their knees and asked God to enable them to emulate Jesus, and that was the beginning of what was an awakening, a spiritual awakening in the whole area. André Trocmé eventually became the French Huguenot pastor in a little village in Southern France, Le Chambon. During the Second World War, he led his whole village to become a refuge for refugees, especially Jews fleeing the Nazi power. The thing that stirred and triggered and empowered the life and the vision of Trocmé was his determination early on in his life not to be separated from Jesus. What this meant to him was that God had shown mankind how precious man was to him by taking the form of a human being and coming down to help human beings find their deepest happiness. Trocmé believed also that Jesus had demonstrated that love for mankind by dying for us on the cross and if these beliefs sounded too mysterious, he knew that Jesus had himself refused to do violence to mankind, refused to harm the enemies of his precious existence as a human being. In short, Jesus was for Trocmé the embodied forgiveness of sin and staying close to Jesus © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 7   meant always being ready to forgive your enemies instead of torturing and killing them. Trocmé led the village of Le Chambon, first of all, to a passive resistance to the French Vichy government that was the puppet of Nazi power. But then the day came when they finally had to take their stand, and it came when an official of the Vichy government came to visit the village in order to celebrate Vichy France, the Nazi-dominated France at that time. Some students of Trocmé's school gave the official a statement which said, "We have heard what happened in Parish where 28,000 Jews have just been rounded up and deported and sent to their deaths, and we want you to know now if you ever come here and ask us to reveal the presence of Jewish people in our midst, we will refuse." And, of course, the official reacted strongly, finally threatening Trocmé, saying, "If we don't get the Jews, we'll get you." It's a marvelous story recorded in the book, Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, by Phillip Hallie. It's a story of how one person was impacted by a vision of Jesus and determined to live his life according to that vision, and who had a very fruitful ministry. During the years '40 to '44, he led a village of 3,000 to save the lives of 6,000 men, women and children. I am sure that it is only in the concrete living of life that we can see the outworking of good and evil. We keep telling the story of Jesus because Jesus inspires us to follow in an obedience like his. And I would simply say in closing that each one of us must determine what Jesus is calling him or her to be. My vision and your vision need not be the same. I'm not at all convinced that we are all called to respond in the same way. I am convinced of this - that to the extent that one is captivated by Jesus, that will stamp one's character, and then, it is the challenge of one's life to live out of that vision. It'll never happen, unless it is one's own vision. You cannot take this from my lips and simply adapt it to your life. You cannot do something as an external norm pressed upon you from the outside. We could argue about all these things; we could debate about Trocmé's philosophy, the philosophical and theological ideas expressed. People have debated these issues down through the centuries, but that is simply to create a smokescreen. When one is captivated by the vision, then if one follows the vision, one may lose one's life, but one will not betray one's soul. Jesus fully followed the will of God, and he got a cross. So to live is not to ensure success, not to guarantee security, not necessarily to come into a tranquil and serene life. But so to live, is to live nobly, so to live is to live heroically; so to live is to live humanly. Jesus never faltered, in spite of the turmoil and the wrenching of soul. He fully followed the will of God. It was a costly obedience. And he died without a clue. He trusted God in the darkness of death as he had followed him in the days of his life, but you and I know that the darkness of Good Friday was dispersed by the © Grand Valley State University �Costly Obedience Richard A. Rhem Page 8   light of Easter Sunday, and that when one is faithful within history, the God beyond history will give His "Yes" and vindicate such a life. Jesus calls us to find that vision which is really our own, and then to be true to ourselves in the living out of our life before the face of God. That really is living so far beyond the shabbiness and the shoddiness of so much of our discipleship. Jesus – inspiring model of obedience! Reference: Phillip Hallie. Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. HarperCollins, 1979. © 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 Human Face of God Scripture Text John 12:27-28 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI References Phillip Hallie, Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed, 1979 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-0-19870315 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-15 Title A name given to the resource Costly Obedience 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 15, 1987 entitled "Costly Obedience", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Lent II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: John 12:27-28. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Followers of Jesus Forgiveness Lent Suffering of Jesus Vision https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f2bf5657ccdcef4a3432f109cbff9a78.mp3 ff005de5a264bc93d27e7b50776060b3 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5fcee76ea7f2f18f7f61cb8f435a8c73.pdf c78aa5f6ef35e11359d7edafb09df27a PDF Text Text At Our Death – No Fear of Judgment From the Lenten sermon series: Christian Hope in Life and Death Text: John 5: 24-25 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Midweek Lenten Service, March 11, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon I want to begin this evening a series of brief messages on the theme “Christian Hope in Life and in Death.” And in so doing, I want to probe some of the biblical teaching around the point of our death and the nature of that experience that we will pass through at the moment of death. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that great positive announcement of what God has done in Christ for the salvation of the world. The Gospel, in its radical announcement in the New Testament, is an announcement of an accomplished reality which is announced by the Apostle in order that people might simply open up their lives to it. Oftentimes in the history of the Church, down through the centuries, salvation has been made something that has been offered as a possibility, sort of dangled in front of a person, almost used, on occasion, as a kind of manipulative motivator in order to get people to toe a certain line or to mouth a certain confession, but salvation as a reality has often been held out as something to be grasped and appropriated. But a line has been drawn, a line around the redeemed with a very clear demarcation between those who are in and those who are out, and therefore, the idea of a final judgment or a continuing judgment, even in the midst of history, has been used often in the Church to create fear and, at its worst, even terror. Religious people have often been people who have been controlled by that fear of the end, and religion has been as much a binder of the human spirit as it has been a liberator of the human spirit. Indeed, I would not be surprised if we could actually examine the annals of history and had a profile on every human person that has ever passed through this way, if we might not find that religion has been a burden to be borne rather than that which lifted the soul and brought a person into the freedom of the grace of God. And the idea of judgment has been one of the great tools that have been used in the religious community to control, and fear has been a negative motivation that has often been used in the church. © Grand Valley State University   �At Our Death – No Fear of Judgment Richard A. Rhem Page 2   It has been my own personal pilgrimage that we have moved from a response of fear to a response of love and joy in the presence of grace. And, as I have done that personally, I have found my own spiritual life enriched and I have found my ministry enriched. You don't find a lot of fire and brimstone preached around here, and you do not have often held before you in vivid fashion the leaping flames of Hell, and I suspect that you probably won't as long as I'm around, because I am, more and more, overwhelmed by the radical nature of God's act in Jesus Christ by which He has brought about redemption of the world, and I see that as an accomplished fact which has wider and broader implications than those that seem to be evidenced within the narrow circle of the Church. I believe that God's salvation of the world has been accomplished through Jesus Christ, but I think that in our traditional understanding of salvation in the Church, we have been far too narrow as to the scope, the breadth and the depth of that saving act in Jesus Christ. Now, it has often been the case that people who have moved away from that fearful portrait of judgment and that threat of Hell have moved in a reactionary way to the denial of the reality of judgment and the seriousness of human experience and the testing nature of human life. I want to avoid that kind of reaction in my own pilgrimage and so, as I have been probing these things personally in my own life, I have begun to share them with you in preaching. A year ago in December we talked about Heaven and Hell and Judgment and Purgatory, and that was only the beginning, but I have continued to study the theme and reflect upon it, and so during these Wednesday evenings in Lent, I want to seek to share with you from the Word of God some conviction to which I have come which I hope will be helpful to you. I am convinced that there are many questions in the hearts and minds of God's people about these themes and, in the Church in general; often not very much is said about it. We have been a little bit embarrassed about the subject of Hell, a little embarrassed about the subject of Judgment, we have oftentimes, in becoming rather uncertain of some of the biblical images, backed away from it and just left it alone, and yet I find that we really still have within our hearts – educated, sophisticated, suave people of the last quarter of the 20th century – we still wonder what lies before us, what is human destiny? What kind of an appointment do we have with God? What has God done in Jesus Christ, and what will be the implications of that for the whole world, for the whole human race, and for me? Well, with that as kind of a broad-stroke introduction, let me say that tonight I simply want to say to you that at our death there need be no fear of judgment. But the first thing I want to say is that there will be judgment, and that is clear throughout the scriptures. In the 5th chapter of John's Gospel, which is really a very difficult passage, – I read part of it this evening – in the 24th verse we have these words, © Grand Valley State University �At Our Death – No Fear of Judgment Richard A. Rhem Page 3   In very truth, anyone who gives heed to what I say and puts his trust in him who has sent me, has hold of eternal life, and does not come up for judgment, but has already passed from death into life. Now, that statement would seem to say that judgment is a thing of the past, for the one who has come to believe in Jesus Christ, there is no condemnation. One has passed from death to life. That's a very common theme in John's Gospel, and it makes a very important point, which we ought to take to our hearts and minds and that is this: that, in coming to God through Jesus Christ, we have moved beyond the fear of judgment, we have moved beyond condemnation. Paul said it another way - in the 8th chapter of Romans, There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. In John's Gospel the theme of eternal life is dealt with to great extent, and it means the present possession of a qualitative dimension of life which is the gift of God's grace. Eternal life has often been popularly spoken of as something that begins after our death, as though we live now, die and then come into the possession of eternal life. That is not biblical teaching. John's Gospel is very clear - Jesus' words here are explicit. The one who believes, who puts his trust in him who sent me, has (present tense) hold of eternal life, and does not come up for judgment, but has already passed from death to life. There is a state of spiritual death; coming to God through Jesus Christ beings one into a state of spiritual life. To come to life through Jesus Christ is to move beyond the threat or the fear of condemnation. But then you take the passage we read from Paul's letter to the Corinthians, the 5th chapter, and in that chapter Paul speaks about judgment, and he speaks about judgment to those at Corinth who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ. He says "We must all have our lives laid open before the tribunal of Christ where each must receive what is due him for his conduct in the body, good or bad." Now, how do you put Jesus' word from John 5:24 together with Paul's words in Cor. 5:10? Jesus said he is passed from death to life and had moved beyond judgment. Paul says our lives must be laid open before the tribunal of Christ where each must receive what is due him, according to his conduct. Both are true, obviously. In the one case, Jesus speaks about coming into that condition or that state spoken of as eternal life, which is a qualitative change of life, an existence in relationship, in conscious relationship with God through Jesus Christ. For such a person, there is no fear of judgment. Yet, Paul speaks about the judgment of Christian people and, in this case, he says our lives will be laid bare before the tribunal of Christ. So, we have now a testing, an examination that God's people will go through in the moment of their death. On the one hand, Jesus speaks about no fear of condemnation. But, on the other hand, Paul speaks about that testing or sifting that we will go through at our death. And both are true. © Grand Valley State University �At Our Death – No Fear of Judgment Richard A. Rhem Page 4   The subject this evening is, “At Our Death, No Fear of Judgment.” No fear of judgment in terms of being turned away or turned out, or condemned. But judgment, to be sure. Judgment that we need not fear, in fact, judgment that we ought to seek. For when we reflect on our lives, don't we really know that we are people responsible and accountable, and don't we really want to know the truth about ourselves before the face of God? What is it to belong to God through Jesus Christ and experience his grace, if it is not to free us up to want to have our lives just that open in His presence? At the moment of our death, no fear of judgment, but judgment, to be sure, in the sense of a testing and a sifting of the character of our lives. And, indeed, that not only should not strike fear into our hearts, that should give us great consolation. For, not only in our own lives, but as we survey the whole course of human history with all of its horror and its tragedy and its suffering and its evil - isn't it a necessary and desirable thing that somehow or other wrongs will be righted, and justice will be done? Don't we really want to be transparent before the face of Jesus Christ, and is that not what the biblical theme, the New Testament theme of judgment is all about? There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. That's behind us. But there is that laying open of our lives before the tribunal of Christ. Now that makes my living every day a very serious matter. Not that it strikes terror in my life, but what it does do is cause me to seek to be a person of integrity, of honesty, of honor, and to the extent that I know that I fail, and to the extent that I know that I'm caught up in life itself where things are not black and white, but various shades of gray, where I not only deliberately do that which is wrong, but sometimes get caught up in the web of that which is wrong, do we not really in the depths of our being long for that day when we will know as we are known, and our lives will be laid open? That is not a cause for fear, but an encouraging cause of hope, for we believe in the God Who takes us seriously and Who takes human history seriously, and Who has a redeeming purpose in the midst of our history, and Who has a destiny designed for us wherein His kingdom will fully come, a kingdom of righteousness and joy and peace. And so, our lives will be laid bare before the tribunal of Christ, and the conduct of every day is a part of the ingredient of that which will be revealed. At our death, judgment without fear, because the judge is Jesus, our Saviour. Now, you know you've heard me say that God is not through with us at our death, and I'll be coming to that on subsequent Wednesday nights. That moment of death must be a fascinating moment when, in a moment, we will understand both the wonder of grace and the record of who we have become. No cause for fear, but a fascinating appointment before the judge of all the earth, who is none other than Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. He who loved us and gave himself for us and has prepared for us that place in eternal fellowship with God through that which he has accomplished for us in his death and resurrection. © Grand Valley State University �At Our Death – No Fear of Judgment Richard A. Rhem At our death, judgment without fear, for the judge is our Saviour, who in a moment will give us bread and wine, his very life flowing into our lives. What wondrous love is this, indeed! © Grand Valley State University Page 5   � 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 Midweek Lenten Service Series Christian Hope in Life and Death Scripture Text II Corinthians 5:19 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-0-19870311 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-11 Title A name given to the resource At Our Death - No Fear of Judgment 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 11, 1987 entitled "At Our Death - No Fear of Judgment", as part of the series "Christian Hope in Life and Death", on the occasion of Midweek Lenten Service, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: II Corinthians 5:19. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Judgment Lent Transforming Love Universal Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b509f87f3a249545eb9939635bffa870.mp3 c1a8f4163a9267465eb4c6f88ed41653 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 Human Face of God Scripture Text II Corinthians 5:19 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-0-19870308 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-03-08 Title A name given to the resource The Mystery of Salvation: God Was in Christ 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 8, 1987 entitled "The Mystery of Salvation: God Was in Christ", as part of the series "The Human Face of God", on the occasion of Lent I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: II Corinthians 5:19. 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/f471b472a436a9ec0e6d65530c47b63a.mp3 b58106e35d684f4ce9e99e918ae2869d 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 V Scripture Text Numbers 13:33, I Peter 5:7, 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-0-19870208 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-02-08 Title A name given to the resource The Cares of Life, the God Who Cares 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 8, 1987 entitled "The Cares of Life, the God Who Cares", on the occasion of Epiphany V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Numbers 13:33, I Peter 5:7, 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/d2c5e68faebbc85783cf72ae1cf1d71b.mp3 f2599236616ed5f594edf26503bb726b 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 IV Scripture Text John 6:54-55 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-0-19870201 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-02-01 Title A name given to the resource Jesus: Our Life Support 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 1, 1987 entitled "Jesus: Our Life Support", on the occasion of Epiphany IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: John 6:54-55. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives