Daily Devotion for June 23

INTRO

This Sunday, our sermon is based on Albert Camus’ The Fall.

INTRO TO THE FALL

Written by Albert Camus. His last completed work. Winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. This book according to Jean-Paul Satre is “one of his most beautiful and his least understood.” It is a series of monologues given by the main character, “Jean-Baptiste” in a seedy bar in the middle of Amsterdam. At the beginning of the monologues, he is basically saying, ‘hey! Look at me. Aren’t I great.’ Then the monologues turn on the realization that he isn’t as great as he thought he was, when he investigated the motive for his good works. He was not driven to do good, but to be seen as someone who does good. He wanted the honor, the power, etc. of doing good. As the monologues continue, they inevitable become a confession. Thus in the midst of the lowest city, Amsterdam; in a bar named Mexico City, the highest city, a well respected lawyer gives a monologue that converts the seedy bar into a confessional.

Albert Camus invites us along this journey of monologues to investigate our motives, and he brings us to the shores of Ecclesiastes 1:1; as he proclaims; “life is absurd!”

The QUESTION FOR SUNDAY:

Is life absurd?

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

Meaningless, Meaningless. Life is Meaningless.

Ecclesisastes 1:2

DAIly Devotion for June 3

INTRO

This Sunday, Ric Wilson will be are guest speaker.  His sermon title is:  Twittering God.  It is a sermon on prayer.  

SCRIPTURE FOR JUNE 12:  ROMANS 5:  3 & 4

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our SUFFERINGS, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

QUESTION

Do you know SUFFERINGS?

OBSERVATIONS

If we live, we shall suffer.  Our time may not be now, but our time will come.  How’s that for good news?  I do not like to suffer.  I would like to avoid it all costs.

QUESTION

What shall we do when suffering comes?

FLIP SIDE

Have you ever known someone who “rejoices in our sufferings”?

I can think of a couple of people who seem to receive great joy from their suffering.  It’s almost as though they are not happy (have no meaning to life) unless they suffer.  Know anyone like that?

There are other people, who display their suffering as a “badge of righteousness.”  They are the ones that suffer because they are the true followers of Christ.  Know anyone like that?

PRAY

1.  Marion in surgery

2.  That God will bless us through the message of Ric.