769 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b65b24d840554ca0bd080236a2f52dbd.mp3 db0e26e9462ec35c07a8f0d74a23b3ee 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 XXI Series One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World Scripture Text Galatians 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-0-19871025 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-10-25 Title A name given to the resource The Lure of Legalism: Fallen from Grace 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 October 25, 1987 entitled "The Lure of Legalism: Fallen from Grace", as part of the series "One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World", on the occasion of Pentecost XXI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Galatians 2:21. 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/067897e013096a16accf55a6c23ba8ec.mp3 9253cfc09f84d851f655d1e87914d38f 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 XXII Series One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World Scripture Text Galatians 3:28b, 29, I Thessalonians 4:14 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19871101 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-11-01 Title A name given to the resource Grace and the Healing of Personality 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 November 1, 1987 entitled "Grace and the Healing of Personality", as part of the series "One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World", on the occasion of Pentecost XXII, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Galatians 3:28b, 29, I Thessalonians 4:14. 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/ed85b19e431799ecd46ce7caa7f01dfd.mp3 a35a6624e16b5158371bd4f822af9cf2 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 XXIV Series One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World Scripture Text Leviticus 19:18, Galatians 5:1,6 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-0-19871115 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-11-15 Title A name given to the resource Free to 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 November 15, 1987 entitled "Free to Love", as part of the series "One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World", on the occasion of Pentecost XXIV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Leviticus 19:18, Galatians 5:1,6. 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/a4e5db175de709457eecab9345c84a0c.mp3 a6949bd343da36aff3a45510f90bf6d9 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4d03c4545629a83364750b13233ae1aa.pdf 98767bdf0b18267aa147b4f60e33cac8 PDF Text Text Free to Care From the series: The One Covenant of Grace – The Salvation of the World Text: Galatians 6:2, 9-10 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Thanksgiving Sunday, November 22, 1987 Transcription of the spoken sermon Help one another to carry these heavy loads, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ… So let us never tire of doing good…let us work for the good of all… Galatians 6:2, 9-10 I am all excited again about being Christ's Community. You may respond, "You have been excited about it for nearly 17 years," and, of course, you would be right; I have been. But one goes through stages; sometimes the vision is clear and the movement strong. At other times the direction seems less clear. Sometimes the energy flows with great spontaneity; at other times it seems like an uphill grind. Sometimes the focus is clear; at times I get sidetracked with peripheral matters and I lose focus. These past weeks have been rather difficult for me. The preparation to preach has been a struggle. I take this business very seriously and I have experienced more of the agony than the ecstasy of preaching. We have been wrestling with the very center of what Christ Community is all about. We have a unique identity. It is not the only possible identity for a congregation. Every congregation has a distinct personality. Every congregation has its niche. When I say we have a unique identity, I am not boasting. I am saying, however, that for us, identity has been worked at intentionally and deliberately. We are self-conscious, self-aware. We have worked at that biblically and theologically over the past decade and a half. We re-named ourselves in May of 1971 and we did that in the midst of an explosion of the Spirit's power and grace. The name spoke a vision of what we wanted to become and it became a formative influence in our becoming what we are – Christ Community. Not a community church which represented the lowest common denominator of biblical and theological understanding. Rather - Christ's Community - a community of people united in Jesus Christ. Both words are significant: © Grand Valley State University   �Free to Care Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Christ - The one through whom the grace of God has come to us. Community - A fellowship of mutual love and support in which we share life together. A community of openness and healing for all persons needing the grace of God; a community consciously seeking to transcend the limits and barriers to fellowship - ethnic barriers, denominational barriers, confessional barriers, social barriers. A radio jingle we used for a long time said it well - "A community that cares about people." That community finds its source in the radical grace of God. Radical grace is an old, familiar theme here. Yet in these weeks I have wrestled with it anew. For whatever reason, the messages have not come easily. But, now at the end of this series, I sense a deeper grasp or a new conviction about the nature of what we are and what we must continue to become. For me the focus has become very sharp again. We are called by Jesus Christ to be a community of care. If radical grace is our theme, then radical love issuing in radical care must be our life. I was struck with the power of the insight that came clear to me last week. Just as we find in Paul's Galatians letter the statement of a radical grace issuing in freedom, so we find in that same letter a statement of our radical obligation. Galatians is about freedom and obligation. Grace sets us free. There is no hedging on that. Paul's strenuous defense and exposition of God's radical grace issues in his climactic charge: Christ has set us free, to be free people. Stand firm, then, and refuse to be tied to the yoke of slavery again. You, my friends, were called to be free persons. Free! That is our state in the grace of God - God's unilateral action binding us to Himself quite apart from anything we are or any performance on our part. But, is that not dangerous? Will we not take advantage of such grace that asks nothing but simply sets us free? Certainly we might do that; we do do that! Paul was not unaware of the possible abuse of grace. He anticipated the objection to his understanding of grace in his letter to the Romans. He raises the objector's question: What shall we say, then? Shall we persist in sin, so that there may be all the more grace? (Romans 6:1) His answer is swift and direct: © Grand Valley State University �Free to Care Richard A. Rhem Page 3   By no means! Recognizing the danger, however, does not cause Paul to moderate his insistence on radical grace. He will not tolerate a compromise – a mixture of law and grace. Rather, he speaks of the obligation of the person set free by grace in as radical terms as he had spoken of grace. God's people are called to be free, but, Paul adds: …Only do not turn your freedom into license for the flesh, or, for the selfprinciple, but be servants to one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Radical grace issues in freedom to love radically. The parallel is very interesting. In relating his own experience of grace and thereby pointing to the fundamental experience of grace, Paul wrote: I have been crucified with Christ: The life I now live is not my life, but the life which Christ lives in me. Paul died. The old Paul who so strenuously sought to fulfill the obligations of the law, thereby justifying himself, was dead. He looked away from self; he looked to God Who justifies by grace. Now he is equally dead to self when it comes to the life he now lives. He looks away from self to the neighbor. Self-ish existence is past in terms both of selfjustification and self-serving. Freed from self, the one graced by God is free for the neighbor. Only a free person can give self away. A person engaged in a self-project, a project aimed at self-justification, self-validation, self-vindication has self at the center. There is always the compulsion in a multitude of ways to guard, defend, enhance and authenticate the self. A person who has died to self, having been given the gift of life by the grace of God, no longer focuses on the self. The graced self has no need to prove itself, defend itself, promote itself. The selfprotecting, promoting, validating project is over and done with. The terrible driving, compelling need to be liked, recognized, rewarded is dead. Now one possesses one's self by grace. God gives one one's life. That self can now give itself away. And Paul says the obligation to love is as unconditional and radical as is the grace that frees and gives new life. One is never through with the obligation to love. To live by law is easier and much neater. If there were a set of legal obligations I must fulfill and thus find favor with God, then it would follow that there would likewise be certain legal obligations incumbent on me in regard to my neighbor. © Grand Valley State University �Free to Care Richard A. Rhem Page 4   We could probably come up with a code of duties to neighbor. But if it is a legal, contractual obligation, then I can check off the list of duties and finally have done with it. But, if I am loved unconditionally, must I not love unconditionally? If my obligation is to love my neighbor, I am never through with it. The radical nature of my obligation to love my neighbor simply follows as a matter of course from the radical grace that flows from the infinite love of God. Galatians 6 deals with the obligation to love in terms of caring for one another in the community of faith and beyond. Life in the community of God's people is quite in contrast to the situation of human society as a whole. Listen to Paul: We must not be conceited, challenging one another to rivalry, jealous of one another. Pride, competitiveness, jealousy - so characteristic of human society – are not to be present. They are the consequences of a society of selves at war. But in the Christian community, self has died. And what if someone falls and really messes up his life? Ostracize? Criticize? Trample? Not so! Rather, ... set him right again very gently. Scott Peck opens The Road Less Traveled with the words, "Life is difficult. Paul would agree. So he counsels: Help one another to carry these heavy loads... Again in verses 9 and 10 he calls us to the radical obligation to care. So let us never tire of doing good… Therefore, as opportunity offers, let us work for the good of all… Do we grow weary of caring? Sure we do. Compassion fatigue is a common experience. Paul knew that, too. What are we tempted to do when we grow weary in well-doing? We are tempted to short-circuit the obligation. We are tempted to say, "Well, I went the extra mile but no one can expect me to do more." Or, "I tried, but I give up.” But we can't get away with that with Paul. We ought to be honest. Let's not kid ourselves. Let's simply admit when the nerve of compassion is cut. Let's withdraw, find some space to be renewed and then go at it again. But, let's not kid ourselves that any amount of effort, of care, of compassionate outreach fulfills the © Grand Valley State University �Free to Care Richard A. Rhem Page 5   obligation. We are never through with loving and caring and we never finally turn away from another human being having completed the claims of love. We are graced - given life as a gift. Therefore we are free of any need to perform to win God's favor. Therefore we are free to love, free to care. And there is no end to it. In humility, with compassion, we serve one another in love. We never miss an opportunity to do good to our neighbor. That word "opportunity" translates the Greek word Kairos, which is the word for time, not in the sense of ongoing time, but in the sense of significant time – the moment filled with opportunity, freighted with eternity. Paul's meaning is that this time of the new age between Jesus' resurrection and His coming again is a time for loving and caring. The call to good to all persons concludes the paragraph that began with the warning about trying to fool God. Paul reminds us that that simply is not possible. God is not fooled. What we are is transparent to God and finally, in God's presence, will be apparent to us ourselves. Within Paul's uncompromising claim of God's radical grace there is as well his insistence that our lives will be reviewed. This is not a threat; it is simply reality. How could it be otherwise? Life is serious. It matters how we live. Grace sets us free from condemnation. It gives peace with God. We are free from the driving compulsion to measure up – we are loved just as we are and declared righteous in Jesus Christ. Precisely that wonderful news changes us, frees us, sets us about responding joyfully to act out what has been enacted in us, for us, in Jesus Christ. There is no fear in judgment. Pain there will be. Regret there will be. Refining fire will be necessary to finish the work in us until we are perfectly conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. One day we will be just like him and today is the day of opportunity to walk toward that goal by loving as we have been loved and caring as we have been cared for. I am excited all over again about what Christ Community is all about, about our initial vision and our constant concentration. We are in the business of loving and caring for people – all kinds of people in all sorts of conditions. I was reminded this week of what I personally experienced through this congregation. When I thought it was all over, you invited me back, believed in me, trusted me, healed me, fed me, clothed me. Remember my commitment to this congregation was not to a thriving 3,000member church, but to 678 persons in a village congregation. No vision of grandeur, just a spontaneous response to love and care. © 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 Thanksgiving Sunday Pentecost XXV Series One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World Scripture Text Galatians 6:2, 9-10 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19871122 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-11-22 Title A name given to the resource Free to Care 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 November 22, 1987 entitled "Free to Care", as part of the series "One Covenant of Grace - the Salvation of the World", on the occasion of Thanksgiving Sunday, Pentecost XXV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Galatians 6:2, 9-10. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Community of Faith Freedom Judgment Radical Grace of God Unconditional Love to Others https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/66e24cf6e69ea60e531bbbc1beeac8d1.mp3 53f83e2d528be47c8c5fe5448503cd6e 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 Thanksgiving Day Scripture Text Psalm 116:1, II Corinthians 9:15 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19871126 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-11-26 Title A name given to the resource I Love the Lord Because... 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 November 26, 1987 entitled "I Love the Lord Because...", on the occasion of Thanksgiving Day, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 116:1, II Corinthians 9:15. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a817c782479ca12d6cfd6b5654152b09.mp3 5954e4ee847dad2e0ade818324a2316f 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 Advent I Scripture Text Isaiah 40:8, Luke 3:2, 15 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19871129 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-11-29 Title A name given to the resource The Word in History: A Vision Beyond History 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 November 29, 1987 entitled "The Word in History: A Vision Beyond History", on the occasion of Advent I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 40:8, Luke 3:2, 15. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/42707d2c7055bdde81718f0adb062e26.mp3 1a3b89171662bab7a140b07f56fe7164 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 Advent III Scripture Text Psalm 16:8-11, I Corinthians 13:12 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-0-19871213 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12-13 Title A name given to the resource The Encounter with God at our Death 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 December 13, 1987 entitled "The Encounter with God at our Death", on the occasion of Advent III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 16:8-11, I Corinthians 13:12. 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/283823ecfc84917cad143f51f4e074c5.mp3 21e72bfb05cd2f9da2cc186bc77afc98 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 Advent IV Scripture Text John 1:14, Revelation 21:3 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-0-19871220 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12-20 Title A name given to the resource The Divine Intervention 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 December 20, 1987 entitled "The Divine Intervention", on the occasion of Advent IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: John 1:14, Revelation 21:3. 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/d8caa428286a4759af1078248f0287b2.mp3 1e012a31e7137b1046d245a1338ef139 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 Christmastide I Scripture Text Luke 2:10-11 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-0-19871227 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12-27 Title A name given to the resource So Don't Be Afraid 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 December 27, 1987 entitled "So Don't Be Afraid", on the occasion of Christmastide I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 2:10-11. 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/e3cab04eb2bf0d51d5177788ab48c1fa.mp3 30ba68f273fcbfbd2cab187e8fcf68ec 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 New Years Eve Scripture Text Isaiah 46:4, 10-11, Ephesians 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-0-19871231 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12-31 Title A name given to the resource Two Views of Life 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 December 31, 1987 entitled "Two Views of Life", on the occasion of New Years Eve, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 46:4, 10-11, Ephesians 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/b65aeb4d3a7b85c2612179e024dffc0a.mp3 5a77f5758eab5f38a7098d5c4f7c4e72 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 I Scripture Text Jeremiah 29:13-14, Matthew 2: 1-12 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-0-19880110 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-01-10 Title A name given to the resource The Soul's Quest: The Search for God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on January 10, 1988 entitled "The Soul's Quest: The Search for God", on the occasion of Epiphany I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Jeremiah 29:13-14, Matthew 2: 1-12. 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/b3bc780261077c9f69e0ca412ef776a3.mp3 8dbbfe8f3099e4896fa26ea20c3190d2 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 II Scripture Text Mark 1:35 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-0-19880117 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-01-17 Title A name given to the resource Living Out of a Quiet Center Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on January 17, 1988 entitled "Living Out of a Quiet Center", on the occasion of Epiphany II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Mark 1:35. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7453d0dfd162ffe8d2147568986e3055.mp3 dd4210345bcc7042436abc6dfee538bf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Epiphany III Scripture Text Psalm 84:2, John 15:11 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880124 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-01-24 Title A name given to the resource A Community of Ecstasy Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on January 24, 1988 entitled "A Community of Ecstasy", on the occasion of Epiphany III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Psalm 84:2, John 15:11. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ddef6deeb5f35b0d44080fd41a5a1d90.mp3 348f14c68dd13dd6c38261665f60d3f1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent I Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880221 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-02-21 Title A name given to the resource The Lamb of God Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 21, 1988 entitled "The Lamb of God", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent I, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f6b20f8812b51cedcc703687634c6cf2.mp3 4bd4070364c700f127f11952bde5fb65 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bde6deaf0369883bfdcdc9c1be14a791.pdf cde64639b4bc58a4ced72752f5b1a57a PDF Text Text Identity and Intentionality From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan February 28, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon I have set my face like a flint... Isaiah 50:7 ... he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51 Tomorrow I give my first lecture to The Introduction to Preaching class. At some time during the term, I will address the matter of telling sermons. I will not use today’s title as an example of how to do it. If you come to worship on the basis of the title of the message, you would not likely have come this morning. “Identity and Intentionality.” Doesn’t sound very promising, does it? I grant you it is about as prosaic as one could get. My only justification for my title is that it points to precisely what I want to set before you: That as God’s People we must be clear about our identity and intentional in the execution of our ministry. Identity: Who we are. Intentionality: The deliberateness with which we do what we are called to do. Let me set this message in the context of Lent/Eastertide, 1988. The Lenten focus, Part I of this series of messages, is “The Servant of the Lord.” We are examining the vocation of the Servant in Isaiah 40-55 and the fulfilling of that vocation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus who adopted the Servant motif as the model for his ministry. Jesus understood himself to be the Servant of the Lord. Jesus calls us to be a Servant People. By understanding the Servant concept in Isaiah and how Jesus lived it out, we will be instructed and inspired to realize our © Grand Valley State University   �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 2   calling to be The Lord’s Servant community and to do so with self-conscious awareness and intentional resolution. That is our purpose. Should I be successful in that purpose, then the on-going development of the Christ Community story will follow as a matter of course, then our response will be, not to a charismatic leader, not to a finely-tuned campaign of manipulation, but to the Word of God. Let us begin then with the portrait of the Servant as it comes to expression in the third of the four Servant Songs in Isaiah 40-55. The Old Testament text is Isaiah 50:4-9. The Servant describes his calling, the opposition he encounters, the confidence he has in God Who called him and then gives us this vivid image: I have set my face like a flint The servant of Isaiah had a clear sense of identity; he was convinced that he was called of God to speak to God’s people in Babylon a word of forgiveness and imminent salvation from their experience of exile. Remember, this is the prophet whose opening words are. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her this, that she has fulfilled her term of bondage, that her penalty is paid. This is the prophet to whom a voice said, “Cry!” In the third Servant Song which is our present focus, the Servant says, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher.” He goes on to tell how God has sharpened his hearing so that he might learn the word to speak to God’s people. He encountered opposition; he suffered scorn and mocking. Yet he remained confident: ... The Lord God stands by to help me; therefore no insult can wound me. I have set my face like a flint. The Servant was a messenger of God’s salvation and with that clearly before him, he resolutely determined to carry out his task. I have set my face like a flint. That is a wonderful image. It speaks of one who has sense of identity and a certainty about what one is called to be and do and who looks neither to the right nor the left, but with single-minded determination pursues a course straight for the goal. If you want to understand it in contemporary terms, contrast that image with the presidential hopefuls - Republican and Democratic alike, who in Iowa sang the © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Iowa fight song, in New Hampshire sang a New England tune, and are articulating with studied ambiguity their Southern strategy in preparation for Super Tuesday. Hardly flint-like; closer to a waxed nose profile. When Luke told the story of Jesus, he borrowed the image of Isaiah to describe the resolution of Jesus as he set out for the final confrontation in Jerusalem. In our New Testament text, we read, As the time approached when he was to be taken up to heaven, he (Jesus) set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. (9:51) Luke sets his Gospel from 9:51 to 19:44 in the context of the journey to Jerusalem. We know that the Gospels are not biographies of Jesus, and the Gospel writers were not giving a chronological account of successive days and weeks in the life of Jesus. The Gospels are faith statements, theological documents, deliberately composed to portray who Jesus was and what he came to do. And so the journey to Jerusalem in Luke is not so much a geographical concern as it is Luke’s way of telling the way of Jesus and inviting others to join in and follow that way. But we know there was a time in Jesus’ ministry when he deliberately set out for Jerusalem with the intention of bringing his message of the Kingdom to final confrontation with the Jewish established religious institution. What Luke conveys with this introductory word is the flint-like resolution with which Jesus pursued his course. Like the Servant in Isaiah to whom Jesus looked as his own model, Jesus knew himself claimed and called by God to bring salvation to the world. Like the Servant he met opposition, but he did not waver. He had a strong sense of identity; with deliberate intentionality he moved toward the goal. All of this is wrapped up in that little phrase, ... he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. Self-aware, intentional, he set out to fulfill the will of God for his life. Luke sets the ministry of Jesus in the context of the way to Jerusalem and writes his Gospel as an invitation to all who read to follow Jesus on the way. It is an invitation to us who are once again on Lenten pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to Holy Week, to crucifixion and resurrection. As we contemplate our identity as the People of God, followers of Jesus Christ, we too must test the resoluteness of our intention. Nowhere does Jesus call people to discipleship under false pretense. In the immediate context of Jesus’ own setting out, Luke gives us some clues as to the nature of that discipleship. We learn at once that the mission to which we are called involves neither coercion nor angry reaction. © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 4   To go from Galilee to Jerusalem involved going through Samaria, and the relations between Jews and Samaritans were strained, to say the least. Most Jews would circumvent Samaria going by way of the Jordan East Bank. But Jesus sent his disciples ahead to make arrangements to go through Samaria. This was a sign of his care, a token of friendship, but the Samaritans wanted nothing to do with him since he was on his way to Jerusalem. They rejected his approach. James and John were furious. They wanted to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans like Elijah had done. But Jesus rebuked them and they went to another place. It is interesting that John the Baptist, too, had wanted Jesus to be a second Elijah, but Jesus chose rather the Servant of Israel as his model. The Servant accepted his suffering voluntarily, trusting his cause to God Whom he believed would vindicate him. As followers of Jesus there will be an honest approach, invitation, offer of the Gospel, but never coercion. The Gospel is offered, the invitation is given, but there must be no force-feeding. And never is angry reaction in order. We call down no fire from heaven on those who reject the message, who spurn the offer of the Gospel. If there is, we have too much of ourselves, too much of our own ego invested. As they proceed on the way, an enthusiastic candidate for the Kingdom comes and says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus says, “You will? Do you really know what you are saying? Foxes have holes and birds their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” This is not an isolated instance. Jesus always cautioned, “Count the cost,” for he never apologized for the self-sacrifice expected of the Christian. Jesus met another person and invited him to follow. He said, “Yes, but let me bury my father first.” Now, it’s unlikely that his father had died; he was saying I have obligations to family first; then I will follow. Jesus’ response was, “Leave the dead bury the dead; you must announce the Kingdom.” And then there was one who said he wanted to follow but first return home and say farewell to his family, to which Jesus responded, “No one who sets his hand to the plough and then keeps looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” In the citing of these examples immediately after portraying Jesus with his face set resolutely towards Jerusalem, Luke is saying clearly that the call to follow Jesus involves a clear identity and a resolute intentionality. Identity - The Servant of the Lord called by God to hear his word and speak his word - to proclaim the Kingdom, to announce God’s great salvation. © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Intentionality -To be resolute, having counted the cost, willing to sacrifice, willing to give God’s program priority, willing to give it undivided attention. Let’s bring it right down to Christ Community and let’s think first of all of the ministry we share together - We are People of God; we are followers of Jesus Christ. We have heard the good news, the Gospel of grace, and we have experienced that grace, receiving the word of forgiveness, knowing ourselves taken up into the love of God. Seventeen years ago we renamed ourselves - we took the name Christ Community as a statement of the identity we would seek to realize, defining the kind of community we desired to become - a community of Christ’s people graced and mediating the unconditional grace of God to all who sought healing and wholeness. In many wonderful ways that identity has been realized. In self-conscious awareness we have opened our arms to all without question or condition. We have been and we increasingly are a place where all sorts and conditions of persons come and find refuge, support, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The only qualification necessary is a hunger, a thirst, a sense of need. The only question asked - Do you receive the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord? We are an ecumenical community with a broad spectrum of confessional and religious backgrounds represented. We are a diverse community; every place on the continuum of discipleship is represented in this large community - and all are loved and affirmed. What we are we are, not because of traditional structures, denominational affiliates, ethnic background; what we are we are selfconsciously; we have chosen to be the kind of community we have become. Now the question confronts us anew: Will we with resolute intention broaden, deepen and expand this community? Will we keep the story going and growing? Let me suggest that we need always to do two things: We need, first of all, to be open to all people, no questions asked, no conditions demanded. We must always be giving our life away. This must always be a place where one can come with nothing to offer, nothing to give; a place where one can enter gingerly, remain anonymous, simply be. Secondly, there must always be some who will hear Jesus’ invitation to discipleship and respond joyfully making sacrifice, giving the building of this community and the larger community of Christ top priority and undivided attention. That brings me to the personal application of this message. Let me ask you: Do you have that sense of identity as a member of this body that is the result of an © Grand Valley State University �Identity and Intentionality Richard A. Rhem Page 6   experience of grace and then the desire to share, to mediate that grace? Do you choose to be identified with an open, gracious community of God’s people? Further: Have you come to the point of intentional resolution to total commitment to the building and ongoing development of this community? Do not think I identify the Kingdom with Christ Community. We participate in the Kingdom of God but are not synonymous with it. Nor do I think one’s commitment to Christ Community is the only way to give first place to God’s will and purpose in one’s life. I do, however, believe God is in this community. I do believe grace is mediated here. The Spirit is moving here, the Gospel is proclaimed and lives are transformed here, and I believe this is one concrete arena in which to live out one’s discipleship. Many are doing just that. Over the years there has been a core that has borne the heat of the day, shouldered the load, made it all possible. Sometimes one deeply involved would say to me, “Why are there not more?” I always smile and reply, “It only takes a few.” No one is coerced into discipleship. There must never be angry reaction when rejection is experienced. And not everyone is at the point of total commitment. But, there are always those who are ready to make that move. In these weeks there will be special opportunity to enter a new level of discipleship and ministry. It is an exciting time and the joy and rewards are great. An Old Testament prophet knew himself to be claimed by God, called to be God’s servant, even to suffer voluntarily on behalf of others. Confident God would support him, he set his face like a flint. Jesus knew himself to be the Servant of the Lord. He knew the inevitability of what lay before him, but he did not flinch; he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem. Identity. Intentionality. Jesus invites us to discipleship, to create here a place of grace, with self-conscious intention. Let us commit ourselves anew to our ministry. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent II Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 50:7, Luke 9:51 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880228 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-02-28 Title A name given to the resource Identity and Intentionality Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 28, 1988 entitled "Identity and Intentionality", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 50:7, Luke 9:51. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Ecumenical Lent Servant of the Lord Servant Songs Unconditional Grace Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/87860f7ac5db19b325ef41eefb097fdd.mp3 89eb7a32b95accc4908f6d5ffade9bfd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75f6bddf1718efce25fe67c42e7a8235.pdf f088ae7335f934874d1fbd7d4d8dcff6 PDF Text Text Universal Salvation From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 49:6; John 12:32 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan March 6, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to earth’s fatherest bounds. Isaiah 49:6 ... and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. John 12:32 A misprint of the text from John in the bulletin gives me a beautiful opportunity to make the point of the message. Jesus does not say, as printed, “I will draw all my people to myself;” rather, he says, “I will draw all people to myself.” I changed the word “men” in the original to “people” in order to use inclusive language, but the point is Jesus is talking about all, not “all my.” “All my” is what the Church has traditionally taught and it has allowed Christian people to understand the Gospel in an exclusivistic sense - us and no more. The text, however, is not exclusive, but inclusive - Jesus says, according to the witness of the fourth Gospel, “I will draw all to myself.” What are we to do with such a claim? The Church has for years been saying that Jesus will draw his own people, and that the others are out of luck. The Church in its traditional and in its orthodox understanding of the Christian faith, has claimed that there are some who are saved and there are some who are lost. And so, the Church in its understanding, its self-understanding, has been very comfortable with the printed mistake in our bulletin. We’ve always felt rather cozy about that, but that is not really what Jesus said. He said, “I will draw all people to myself.” Now, if he meant every man and woman, young person and child in the whole world, then he would be speaking about a universal salvation. That is not what the Church has traditionally taught, but that’s what that text would seem to point toward. And that’s not the only text that seems to point in that direction. I want to talk to you about that issue, not because I have the mystery solved, not because © Grand Valley State University   �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 2   you have to believe it the way I am believing it in my own continual search for understanding, but simply because I want to open up a facet of the Gospel which is so amazing and wonderful that maybe it’s better than we ever dreamed. Wouldn’t it really be wonderful if it were true, if we would finally come to discover in the presence of God that when Jesus died and rose again, he died and rose again not for some, but for all? Wouldn’t that be great? You wouldn’t be disappointed, would you? I mean, you wouldn’t say, “Don’t know why I worked so hard at it,” even though all the time you profess it is all of grace and not of works. Let’s think about it, because it’s important for us, in any case, to understand our mission to bring the story to the nations. There is a very strong biblical strain that tends toward universal salvation. There is another whole stream, obviously, that seems to refute it; otherwise the orthodox Church would not have refuted it all these years. But, what we’ve not done in the orthodox and traditional churches – and I’m talking about the Augustinian stream of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Reformation, Luther, Calvin, the Reformed tradition - what we’ve not done in those traditions is to be honest with the universalistic text, such as our text for this message. I want you to see this stream; I want you to think about this, raising the question whether or not the grace of God is not broader and the love of God not deeper, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ more wonderful and amazing than we have ever yet dreamed of. It is a real question which the Church must think about and wrestle with because, historically, we have stumbled over this problem. We have said in the Augustinian and the Calvinistic streams of the Church that salvation is of God. Not that He sets it all out there and you can take it or leave it. We’ve talked about His electing grace before the foundations of the world. We’ve talked about being chosen in Christ in eternity. And we have talked about the fact that it is all God’s initiative, that what we believe, if we respond, is because, first of all, we have been given the gift of faith. But then, we have also had to deal with the mystery that someone sitting right next to us, hearing the same message, doesn’t respond and doesn’t believe. Now, how do you explain that? Well, the good old Calvinists, the strong Augustinians say, Election and Reprobation - God chose that one and abandoned that one (didn’t choose that one or reprobated that one or condemned that one, depending on how strong one’s stomach is). And so, the mystery was read back into God. And there was nothing that you could say beyond the fact that God chose one and didn’t choose another; God chose one, reprobated another. Now, you could say, well, the ones that were chosen didn’t deserve to be chosen, and the ones that were lost deserved to be lost. But if I am chosen and I believe and I have the gift of faith and I know that I’m unworthy and it’s all of God’s gift and my neighbor next to me really isn’t so different from me, but doesn’t believe, I don’t feel too comfortable with the fact that I got chosen and obviously he didn’t when I’m no better than he. And just to say that it’s a mystery, he lost, I’m saved, doesn’t sit real comfortably with me. But that’s the traditional answer. © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Now, there were those that reacted against that strong Calvinist tradition. They are called Arminians. They are named after Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) who was a professor at Leiden in The Netherlands. Arminius didn’t really like that kind of hard, Calvinistic election/reprobation idea, and so he suggested that God foresees how one will respond and then elects. Finally, however, when you boil it down, He puts the choice on the person so that God sets it out and human beings decide if they will come in or not. Calvinists say, “No.” Something this big and this important is not a matter of human will. Human will is dead. We’re all dead. It can’t be the human choice. Billy Graham preaches the Gospel legitimately - believe and respond and be saved. But the Calvinist knows when he says, “If you have faith, you’ll be saved,” that one won’t have faith until God gives faith and if God gives faith, that puts the problem back with God. So, we struggle with this matter, some putting the stress here, some there, but the Church never really comes clean and feels very comfortable about it. That is why I invite you to consider the possibility, not a dogmatic, absolute assertion, but the possibility that God’s love is broader and His grace is more amazing, and the Gospel is more exciting than anything we have yet dreamed of. Let’s do some biblical study. Abraham was called and God said, “I’ll be your God and a God to your seed after you and in you all nations of the earth will be blessed.” A universal intent was already there in that particular choice. And we know that God chose Abraham not to the exclusion of the rest of the people, but God chose Abraham and Israel on behalf of the world. God chose them, not because He was satisfied with only a few and the rest were just out of luck, but He called a few, to deal with a few, to reveal Himself to a few, to shower His grace on some, in order that they could be light and bring light to the rest. In Isaiah, in the servant passages that we have been studying, we also find that same kind of universal tendency breaking out. The Servant of the Lord in the forty-ninth chapter that we read, which is the second of the servant songs, understands himself to be chosen by God, elected by God, and he says, “He made my tongue his sharp sword.” His was a ministry of the word. As the poem closes, the servant recognizes that he has not only the commission he understood, first of all, to gather the tribes of Jacob, but he realizes that God has extended his mission. We read, “I will make you a light to the nations, to be my salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds.” The poem opens, “Listen to me, you coasts and islands, pay heed to me you people far away.” Now, that’s not insignificant, because this is Israel, Israel thinking of itself as having a special insight into the knowledge of the true God, and it did! But it is beginning to see, at least in the voice of Isaiah, that there is a mission beyond Jacob, that there is a mission to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds. The servant, of course, was a model for Jesus’ ministry, and we’ve always understood that with the coming of Jesus, the salvation that God worked in Israel © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 4   was broadened out and became a universal salvation spreading to all nations. After the resurrection, Jesus gave the great commission, charging the Disciples to go and preach the gospel to all nations. Thus, there was that kind of universal tendency, that breaking out of the narrow bounds of Israel into the broader stream. But, you say to me, well, that’s all true. We’ve always believed that and that’s why we send missionaries, but that doesn’t say that every single man, woman, child in the whole earth comes to salvation. And you’re right. But, let’s go to the Gospel of John. I begin a little before my text, in the tenth chapter of John. I want you to see that John is building up to the point at which he will present the saviour of the world. Remember chapter ten, the beautiful story, the Parable of Jesus, the Good Shepherd? As he presents himself as the Good Shepherd, he says, “I know my own sheep and my sheep know me. My father knows me, and I know the father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. But there are other sheep of mine not belonging to this fold whom I must bring in. And they, too, will listen to my voice. There will be one flock and one Shepherd.” You say, right, that’s why we do evangelism because we quote that word of Jesus, “Other sheep have I.” But, now, hear it in these terms. Jesus talking in the context of Israel saying, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I have other sheep and they will hear my voice and there will be one shepherd and one fold.” Then in the eleventh chapter we have the raising of Lazarus and you know what a stir that caused. John used that at this point in the Gospel as the supreme sign Jesus, the Giver of Life. It caused quite a stir. And the Pharisees got worried. After the raising of Lazarus, they called a caucus. They were disturbed because they could see the popular impact of this miracle. They were worried. Their leader, the old, cynical politician, Caiphus, the High Priest, the very man in all the world who should have been concerned for the salvation of the world, said, “Use your heads. You don’t know anything at all.” And then, with his bitter cynicism, he said, “It is more to your interest that one man should die for the people than the whole nation should be destroyed.” Caiphus had the solution. Jesus making waves - rub him out. But then, John, our Evangelist, sneaks in behind Caiphus and writes something on the blackboard. He says, “He did not say this of his own accord, but as the High Priest in office that year he was prophesying ...” Cynical, old Caiphus. God had.the last laugh. Caiphus, you didn’t understand it, but you were speaking the truth. In truth, one would die for the nation, but now get this. Jesus would die for the nation, but “would die not for the nation alone, but to gather together the scattered children of God.” Then Jesus came riding into Jerusalem and the religious leadership was really nervous and at the end of the Palm Sunday account we hear the Pharisees again saying, “You see, we can do no good at all. The whole world’s going after him!” © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 5   The next verse we have Phillip coming up and tapping Jesus on the shoulder and saying, “Jesus, there are some Greeks here at the Festival and they want to see you.” We never read anything more about the Greeks; we don’t know if they ever saw Jesus or not, but John used that little incident as the trigger, because as soon as Phillip said to Jesus, “There are some Greeks here that want to see you,” Jesus said, “Now is the hour.” Jesus said, “This is it!” Jesus knew that he was approaching the climactic moment. The Greeks who sought him were token representatives of the nations that would come. Throughout the Gospel of John you will find Jesus saying, “Not yet. My hour is not yet. Hold on.” Suddenly, something as insignificant as a party of Greeks at festival wanting to see him, and he says, “This is it! This is the Hour.” Then he begins to speak about how the grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die if it were to bear fruit, and he says, “Now is my soul in turmoil. What should I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this hour came I forth. Father, glorify Your name.” The Gethsemane experience, which John doesn’t record, he relates in this way. Here is the struggle of Jesus, the shrinking from the darkness that was now looming largely for him, knowing that he would pass through all of the depths of hell, that somehow or other all of the darkness and all of the sin and all of the evil of the world would be absorbed into his own person and he said, “What do I say? ‘Get me off the hook?’ No, this is why I came. Glorify Your name.” Then he went on to say, “And I if I be lifted up, will draw all to myself.” There you have Jesus’ own self-understanding as he stood on the threshold of the cross. And that still doesn’t demonstrate the fact that every man and woman ever born will sometime or other, somehow or other, come into the light of the presence of the grace of God, but it does say that there is a universal stream in the scripture that in the beautiful words of Isaiah sees salvation as spread to earth’s fartherest bounds. Without answering the myriad questions that must come to mind as we begin to “hear” the universal scope of the salvation of our God accomplished through Jesus, The Servant of the Lord, let me begin to address at least some of the questions that must come to mind. First: If God’s grace finally triumphs in the case of the whole human family, doesn’t that make light of human rebellion and sin? Certainly there is a powerful and destructive entanglement of evil with human affairs, personal and corporate. Doesn’t it matter that there are persons and syndicates of persons involved in drug trafficking that makes them millions of dollars and threatens to destroy the fabric of society and bring ruin and tragedy to countless lives? Doesn’t it matter if Noriega pays off his military officers and thus stands solidly entrenched in power even though it would seem that he has profited from illegal trafficking in drugs and guns? © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 6   Is it a matter of indifference to the God of heaven and earth that there exists terrible suffering, persecution, oppression in the world? Will victim and victimizer be welcomed alike into the Kingdom? An important and obvious question, and the answer is unequivocal. Certainly it matters. Certainly God cares. The whole Scripture cries out for justice, for righteousness. The whole Scripture testifies to God’s siding with the oppressed against oppressor, the weak against the strong. Where, then, will evil be overcome? Where, then, will all the horror and hurt of the human story be removed? The answer is the cross. Why did Jesus shrink from it? “What shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this hour came I forth. Father, glorify your name!” I have no gift of description, no capacity for understanding that could possibly bring to expression the horror of the hell that Jesus endured on the cross as he absorbed like a sponge the sin of the world. You ask further: Do we get off scot-free? I answer, yes and no. Yes. Jesus took the rap for you and me. God made him to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He bore our sins in his body on the tree ... There is now therefore no condemnation ... No, if you mean can I raise hell all my life and waltz blithely into heaven.This is where I increasingly see the necessity of a serious encounter with God at our death. As C. S. Lewis writes, Our souls demand purgatory, don’t they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, “It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your eyes drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy.”? Should we not reply, “With submission, Sir, and if there is no objection, I’d rather be cleaned first.” “It may hurt, you know,” “Even so, Sir.” (Letter to Malcomb) Judgment is real. Nobody gets away with anything. God is not mocked. Either now or at my death, I will see, I will know, I will recognize, I will own who I am, what I have done. And sooner or later I will see and comprehend and be © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 7   overwhelmed by what Jesus has done for me, what the grace of God has accomplished on my behalf. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. And then I will sing, O, to grace how great a debtor ... love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. One further question: Why the urgent call to discipleship, the call to follow Jesus, to take up the cross, to die to self and bear fruit? Why not just relax and let the process develop? Nobody will finally burn anyway. The answer: We share the good news not so that persons will not be damned eternally; rather, we share good news so persons will not be damned as they live in the hell of their guilt and fear and entanglement in evil. Further: How can we be still when the news is so good? How can we remain silent before the amazement of God’s grace? How can we be blasé in the presence of such love? We’ve not done the job very well in the Church. The news we’ve shared has not been all that good. We’ve been smug and self-righteous ... Think of the Sunday School chorus, One door and only one and yet the sides are true, I’m on the inside, on which side are you? We’ve drawn a line. We’ve been certain we were on the right side. We’ve invited others to come over and join us and be like us. Our message to the world has been a moralizing message filled with oughts and shoulds - the tyranny of the ought has wiped out the sound of good news. Our message has been characterized more by condemnation and threat with a liberal dose of fear than the sheer joy of a grace beyond our fondest dreams. But it doesn’t really work. It still works some places with some people, but it usually backfires and finally will never bring the world to God. Why get so excited about our mission to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds? Because the news is so good, so amazing, so unbelievably wonderful! God saves! © Grand Valley State University �Universal Salvation Richard A. Rhem Page 8   God saves - God does not simply set it out and make it possible, waiting to see if there are any takers. No, God saves. And God saves. The grace of God in Jesus Christ will triumph - to earth’s fartherest bounds. All God’s children will finally come home. Why us? Because - we’ve been given the wonderful news, we’ve been let in on the secret. And all around us are people hurting, broken, hopeless, knowing no light or joy or peace. It is ours to share the joy, spread the news, love the world. Jesus has been lifted up - on the cross where he took our judgment, into heaven where he reigns, and is drawing the whole world home to the Father - and he invites us into that highest of all vocations: to bring salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds until all God’s scattered children join hands in the presence of Jesus, singing, Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations, Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, Now and forevermore be Thine! Amen © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent III Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 49:6, John 12:32 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880306 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-06 Title A name given to the resource Universal Salvation Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 6, 1988 entitled "Universal Salvation", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 49:6, John 12:32. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Forgiveness Inclusive Grace Judgment Lent Universal Grace https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/40bfb797fcfeab7aa37264e56ea7879c.mp3 8c2d5279eeba37cd1bf498c03a3ee485 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent V Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Isaiah 42:3, John 13:15 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880320 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-20 Title A name given to the resource Compassion Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 20, 1988 entitled "Compassion", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Lent V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 42:3, John 13:15. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f5a57ebbea652f0e7dc1fb080b3fc5cd.mp3 675a02ad24568f37286deb06886c338a https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d15f48b0bc53626dfa0850942b6726b6.pdf b0cb1d9b1d84a8463bab80acd52611d4 PDF Text Text Crisis From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 53:12; Luke 19:42-44 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Palm Sunday, March 27, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon ... he exposed himself to face death. Isaiah 53:12 If only you had known, on this great day, the way that leads to peace! But no; it is hidden from your sight ... you did not recognize God’s moment when it came. Luke. 19:42-44 “Crisis” is a word that strikes fear into our hearts. We do our best to avoid a crisis. We speak of life in turmoil as “one crisis after another.” Crisis is a word that fills the heart with anxiety and calls up images of fear – an accident scene, the emergency room, the family waiting room next to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, broken relationships, disaster, political upheaval – and the list goes on. From crisis on a personal level to crisis of cosmic proportions, it seems our world reels from crisis to crisis. But on reflection, the real meaning of crisis is not synonymous with danger nor need it be associated exclusively with feelings of dread. Our English word “crisis” is derived from the Greek “Krisis” coming from the verb to decide. The crisis point is the time of decision. In the case of a disease it is the turning point when a change takes place - either for recovery or for death. In the case of any historical progression or series of events, the crisis is the decisive moment when events will take one direction or another, depending on the decision made, the response to the moment. My point is simply that crisis can be seen in a positive light just as well as in a negative light. Crisis viewed only in terms of danger misses the equally true presence of opportunity. Although I have not got the documentation, I remember reading somewhere that in written Chinese, the character for danger and for opportunity is the same. Thus, this insight is reflected in various languages revealing the reality of our historical existence – at history's critical junctures, at the critical junctures of a nation's history, an institution's existence, an individual's life, decision is demanded and, depending on the decision made, the consequence will be judgment or grace, peace or destruction, life or death. © Grand Valley State University   �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 2   In this Lenten series, our focus is on Jesus, the Servant of the Lord. We began with the declaration of John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” words recorded by John in his Gospel which recalled the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, the innocent one who bore the sins of his people. We noted that John the Baptist hoped Jesus would destroy sin and wickedness, bringing judgment on the world. John the Baptist hoped Jesus was the one who was to come – the return of the fiery Elijah calling down the wrath of God from heaven. Jesus, however, found his identity rather in the Servant of Isaiah – the one who brings salvation to earth's fartherest bounds, who is light to the nations, who does not crush the broken reed or snuff out the smoldering wick. He set his face steadfastly toward Jerusalem, just as the Servant in Isaiah 50:7 set his face “like a flint.” His identity clear, he carried out his mission with deliberate intentionality. If we go back to the second message in the series, the focus on Jesus' identity and intentionality, we find in the text in Luke 9:15 Jesus setting his face resolutely toward Jerusalem. Luke uses the framework of a journey toward Jerusalem to tell a large part of the story of Jesus. He begins this long section with these words: As the time approached when he was to be taken up to heaven, he set his face resolutely toward Jerusalem. We can trace references to Jerusalem throughout the subsequent chapters (13:22, 31-35; 17:11, 18:31, 19:11, 28, 41). The lesson for today, Palm Sunday, finds Jesus entering the city amid the acclaim of his disciples and, as he catches sight of the city from the heights of Olivet, Luke records that he wept and uttered a lament filled with pathos: If only you had known, on this great day, the way that leads to peace! But no; it is hidden from your sight. ... you did not recognize God's moment when it came. This was God's moment for Jerusalem. God visited Jerusalem in the person and the ministry of Jesus. Luke's account of Palm Sunday is carefully detailed to fit his purpose in writing the Gospel. Jesus comes a King, but a King of peace. Did you notice that there are no palms or branches in Luke's account? Palm branches occur in John's Gospel. They were associated with nationalistic celebrations and John is portraying this misconstrual of many who hailed Jesus as a national deliverer. But Luke makes it clear that Jesus comes not as a political Messiah. In John's Gospel the acclamation is to “The King of Israel,” but Luke says only “King”, omitting the reference to the Nation. © Grand Valley State University �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 3   This is a King with a difference; this is a peaceable King who comes humbly as the Servant of the Lord, precipitating a crisis to be sure, but not a crisis of national liberation, but rather a crisis of peace or destruction. There is a great debate among New Testament scholars as to whether Jesus understood himself as the Messiah or not. The Messianic consciousness of Jesus has been argued back and forth for decades. I wonder if the answer does not lie in the fact that Jesus avoided the Messianic designation because he knew that in the mind of the people it was so heavily freighted with political and nationalistic association that it was unusable for his purpose. He resisted all efforts to make him a King - one who would supply bread (John 6) and overthrow the occupying power. Rather, he adopted the model of the Servant of the Lord who willingly bore the transgressions of his people, thus bringing peace. The crisis for Jesus occurred early in his ministry when he struggled in the wilderness. He chose the path of obedience and suffering. He set his face resolutely, like a flint, toward Jerusalem and now arriving there knows full well he will be rejected and being rejected will die, but in the rejection Jerusalem will bring upon itself disaster. For Jesus, the crisis faced, the decision of obedience and faithfulness resulted in death – but finally in resurrection. For Jerusalem, the crisis faced, the decision of rejection resulted in terrible destruction. Luke spoke of God's moment - literally the time of visitation. Time in the Greek is Kairos - time understood in terms of its content - filled time, time filled with significance. Not “Chronos” - the idea of time as duration, the succession of moments. There are those moments within the succession of moments, the flow of time which are critical, crisis moments - filled with danger and opportunity. How we respond, how we decide at such moments determines our destiny. History is a tale of judgment and grace because it is a flow of moments punctuated by Kairos times - moments of crisis. God's purposes will be fulfilled, but the part we play is determined by the response we make. We are always caught in the tension between the way of the world and the way of Jesus. The way of the world seems so real. The way of Jesus seems so futile - indeed, it leads to crucifixion. But the paradox is that the apparent conquest of worldly ways ends in death and destruction and the way of Jesus leads through death to resurrection. © Grand Valley State University �Crisis Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Today we remember Jerusalem's crisis. Today we know that we, too, stand in crisis: To preserve our life, or to lose it for the sake of the Gospel. To play it safe, to secure ourselves, to operate with worldly wisdom, or to trust God and follow Jesus in the ways of peace. Our world is full of crises: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict reminds us so starkly of Jesus' words and weeping. Northern Ireland, South Africa, Central America. Christ Community - called anew to total commitment to the ministry of grace, healing and care. And each of us - to find our peace in Jesus. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Palm Sunday Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text Luke 19:42,44 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880327 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-03-27 Title A name given to the resource Crisis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on March 27, 1988 entitled "Crisis", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Palm Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 19:42,44. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Palm Sunday Peace Servant of the Lord Way of Jesus https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3dd9e643e68ea95d326ed36a65d0d723.mp3 3bc157e5a0f715ab4ceb77b218d90d86 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a52f42e8873b3d9af324a3df8f34f918.pdf e96d403f1c1efb63544a1b9f922b2546 PDF Text Text Authentication From the Lenten sermon series: The Servant of the Lord Text: Isaiah 53: 11; I Corinthians 15: 22-28 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Easter Sunday, April 3, 1988 Transcription of the spoken sermon After all his pains he shall be bathed in light, after his disgrace he shall be fully vindicated; so shall he my servant vindicate many, ... himself bearing the penalty of their guilt. Isaiah 53:11 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ... He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet...that God may be everything to everyone. I Corinthians 75:22-28 God raised Jesus from the dead. That is the great truth we celebrate on Easter. Jesus died. That is the somber reality marked in this sanctuary and around the world on Friday. As Jesus was hanging suspended between heaven and earth, they cruelly mocked him – the soldiers, the religious authorities, even those condemned with him. Did he trust in God? They taunted, let God rescue him… Matthew 27:43 How that must have wrenched him. His whole life, his whole message was posited on trust in God. Where was God, the God Whom he addressed intimately as “Abba, Father”? Is it any wonder that that terrible cry of dereliction found expression in his awful agony, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” He trusted in God; let God deliver him now... But there was no deliverance; Jesus breathed his last. Jesus died. Unless that black reality has seeped into the pores of our being, Easter will fail to appear in all its radical reality. Only the horrid darkness of Golgotha can adequately set the stage for the brightness, joy and wonder of Easter's dawn. The taunters at crucifixion were not without profound insight. They knew everything hinged on God’s intervention on behalf of His Servant. If heaven © Grand Valley State University   �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 2   remained relentless and Jesus really died, then put to death as well was all he claimed to be, all he claimed was true, the way he claimed to be God’s way. Those who conspired to put him to death knew instinctively that if there was no move from heaven, no action from God, they had won the day. “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now.” Quite right. That was the issue. If we are right - in agreement with the Gospel writers - that Jesus found his identity, the model of his ministry in the Servant Songs of Second Isaiah, then he must not have been surprised at the opposition he met in the days of his ministry. In the third of the songs, Isaiah 50:4-9, the Servant says, I offered my back to the lash and let my beard be plucked from my chin; I did not hide, my face from spitting and insult; Opposition and suffering must have come as no surprise. But the Servant was certain of the Lord's strong support. ... but the Lord God stands by to help me; therefore no insult can wound me. I have set my face like a flint... Beyond the suffering and persecution there was the promise of God's support and the clear call ... to be my salvation to earth’s fartherest bounds. Isaiah 49:6 And so, on the model of the servant, Jesus carried on a ministry of bringing Salvation, a ministry of healing executed with compassion in gentleness. ... not breaking a bruised reed, not snuffing out a smoldering wick. Isaiah 42:3 All of that must have passed before his mind's eye as he felt death closing in as the tormenters reminded him that the issue at stake was whether his trust in God would be vindicated; whether he, the Servant of the Lord, would be vindicated. O God, where are you now in my hour of desperate need? Yet, there was more that must have been going on in the mind and heart of Jesus, ravished with pain, alone in his anguish. If he found his identity and destiny in the Servant Songs, then he knew well the, to us, familiar 53rd chapter of Isaiah. We have referred to it in this series twice, noting the Lamb led to the slaughter, the innocent one bearing the transgression of his people. The Servant dies. ... he was cut off from the world of living men; stricken to death for my people’s transgression. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, a burial place, among the refuse of mankind. Isaiah 53:8-9 © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 3   The Servant died. Jesus knew he was precipitating a crisis in Jerusalem. He must have sensed the inevitability of death. The institution of the Last Supper certainly indicates that. The Servant died. Jesus was dying, but the taunts must have been sharp spears thrusting into his heart. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him. But God made no move; heaven was silent. The evil designs of threatened religion and political leaders simply unfolded with no sign of intervention. But still there is more; the Servant of Isaiah 53 dies, but the Servant is also vindicated; the Servant's life and ministry is also authenticated. At the conclusion of the report of the Servant's vicarious suffering, bearing the transgressions of his people, we read: Yet the Lord took thought for his tortured Servant and healed him … so shall he enjoy long life and see his children’s children, and in his hand the Lord’s cause shall prosper. After all his pains he shall be bathed in light, after his disgrace he shall be fully vindicated. Isaiah 53:10-11 Jesus was dying. That could not have been a surprise to him. But, where was the vindication spoken of? This, of course, was Jesus’ supreme test; would he hold on trusting through his last breath? This claim of vindication and authentication in the fourth Servant Song is amazing. There was as yet in Israel no knowledge of resurrection, no understanding of a rising from the dead. Yet here we have an idea set forth of which there was no experience and no general expectation. The Servant dies on behalf of his people; God vindicates His Servant and the Servant is satisfied, content, that his mission is accomplished and his triumph is secured. This message is entitled “Authentication.” I contemplated using the term “vindication,” which appears in the text (Isaiah 53:11 NEB). However, that term has taken on a nuance with which I would not like God's raising of Jesus to be associated. It carries the meaning “to clear from censure, criticism, suspicion, or doubt, by means of demonstration; to justify or uphold by evidence or argument,” all of which properly applies to the significance of Jesus' resurrection. Yet it also conjures up images of vindication as avenging or revenge. © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 4   Therefore, I have chosen the word “Authentication.” It is defined as “to invest with authority, to give legal validity to, to establish the title to credibility of a statement, or of a reputed fact.” It carries the idea of authorization, genuineness. It is this that God accomplished in raising Jesus from the dead. Easter is God's mighty “Yes” to Jesus, to the way of life he portrayed, the salvation he offered, the God to whom he pointed. Resurrection was for Jesus authentication. With real insight, the crucifiers taunted: He trusts in God; Let God rescue him now. God did; not before the mission was accomplished; but, miracle of miracles, when he had really died, God raised him from the dead. Resurrection is Jesus' authentication. So what? To answer that, we will move from the promise of vindication, life out of death, in Isaiah, beyond the narration of the event in the Gospel, to the consequence of resurrection in the Epistle. Paul's classic discussion of the reality of resurrection – Jesus’ and ours - in I Corinthians 15 makes the simple, straightforward claim: ... The truth is, Christ was raised to life. (vs. 20) He then draws the consequence: As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be brought to life. Paul envisions an unfolding drama - the story goes on from Easter. Christ, the first fruits, and afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. Israel gathered the first-ripened grain and offered it to the Lord - a sign that the whole harvest was God's. Using that figure, Paul sees Jesus' resurrection as the first instance of a general resurrection to follow at his coming - an event Paul thought was near. At his coming, history would come to its End. Paul understood Jesus to be reigning even as he, Paul, was writing. Jesus was overcoming all opposition to God's rule. When completed, he would overcome the last enemy, death. Then he would yield up the Kingdom to God and God would become all in all, or, “everything to everyone.” Thus, in the resurrection, God authenticated His Servant Jesus and established a whole new order, an order Scripture speaks of as the new age, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom Jesus had claimed was arriving in his ministry. Jesus was authenticated: his claim authenticated. His resurrection was a sign that everything was new; a whole new world was born. © Grand Valley State University �Authentication Richard A. Rhem Page 5   We are already participating in that new order. We have passed from darkness to light, from death to life. Once, by nature, we were “in Adam,” subject to death. Now, by grace, we are “in Christ,” recipients of life. The old order did its best to defeat the gracious, saving purpose of God. Adam's race of which by nature we are all a part, crucified the Servant of the Lord. But God raised him up. In his death he bore the transgressions of his people, he justified the many whose sin he bore. In his resurrection he gives life to his people. Because Jesus lives, there is a whole new reality. The Kingdom of God, God's rule, acknowledged now by the Church, but one day every knee will bow, every tongue confess: Jesus is Lord. Because Jesus lives, we believe every obstacle and all opposition to God's desire and design to save will be overcome. Grace will triumph over all the forms and structures of evil, of darkness, of injustice, of sin and death. He trusted in God; let God deliver him - God did. And because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know he holds the future, and life is worth the living just because he lives! © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Easter Sunday Series The Servant of the Lord Scripture Text I Corinthians 15:22-28 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880403 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-03 Title A name given to the resource Authentication Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 3, 1988 entitled "Authentication", as part of the series "The Servant of the Lord", on the occasion of Easter Sunday, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: I Corinthians 15:22-28. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Easter Resurrection Salvation Servant of the Lord Suffering Trust https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/25ba37622123df73db91671c8ebd8be7.mp3 ecb0b1a4525fd900f5adb40a70aa87f9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide II Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 54:10, Ephesians 1:18 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880410 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-10 Title A name given to the resource Our Hope Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 10, 1988 entitled "Our Hope", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 54:10, Ephesians 1:18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9c292d6e38f185b831a76a4c527d7916.mp3 5095ddebcd7f37e699134e0b114d7a68 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide III Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 55:3, Ephesians 1:18 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880417 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-17 Title A name given to the resource Our Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 17, 1988 entitled "Our Heritage", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 55:3, Ephesians 1:18. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/30ed9afec90632bf9d4968d2f65a726e.mp3 6e227a3fde4ea267a3b0c7fd9430a10e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide IV Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 43:19, Ephesians 1:18-20 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880424 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-04-24 Title A name given to the resource Our Power Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on April 24, 1988 entitled "Our Power", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 43:19, Ephesians 1:18-20. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/cac50ddb57aa2953b009fecba1d2b956.mp3 02aa152f0878a4a386117295c9c41356 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide V Series The Lord's Servant Community Scripture Text Isaiah 55:11, Ephesians 3:20-21 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880501 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-01 Title A name given to the resource Beyond Our Fondest Dreams Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 1, 1988 entitled "Beyond Our Fondest Dreams ", as part of the series "The Lord's Servant Community", on the occasion of Eastertide V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 55:11, Ephesians 3:20-21. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/54a2d31e04f9e45db60d16f02023214e.mp3 a3f9abc2ba85394ca8fe6a6720056b04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Eastertide VI Scripture Text Isaiah 46:10-13, Phil. 1:6, 2:9, Revelation 4:6, 5:12, 13 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19880508 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05-08 Title A name given to the resource Jesus is Lord Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on May 8, 1988 entitled "Jesus is Lord", on the occasion of Eastertide VI, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 46:10-13, Phil. 1:6, 2:9, Revelation 4:6, 5:12, 13. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives