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All Things Bright and Beautiful
WELCOME TO TODAY'S WORSHIP SERVICE
April 26, 2009
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Open your Bible
Light a candle
OPENING SONG
READINGS
From the Bible
9Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Acts 9.
And the earth produced the tender plant, and plant bearing its seed in the way of its kind, and the tree making the fruit that held its seed in the way of its kind, and the tree making the fruit that held its seed in the way of its kind, and God saw that it was good.
Gen. I:12
From Swedenborg
The third stage is one of repentance. During this time, at the prompting of the inner, we speak devoutly and reverently and yield a good harvest [acts of neighborly kindness, for instance]. These effects are lifeless none the less, since we suppose that they come of our own doing. They are called the tender plant, then the seed-bearing plant, and lastly the fruit tree.
And
From A.A
Step 4: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."
9Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Acts 9.
And the earth produced the tender plant, and plant bearing its seed in the way of its kind, and the tree making the fruit that held its seed in the way of its kind, and the tree making the fruit that held its seed in the way of its kind, and God saw that it was good.
Gen. I:12
From Swedenborg
The third stage is one of repentance. During this time, at the prompting of the inner, we speak devoutly and reverently and yield a good harvest [acts of neighborly kindness, for instance]. These effects are lifeless none the less, since we suppose that they come of our own doing. They are called the tender plant, then the seed-bearing plant, and lastly the fruit tree.
And
From A.A
Step 4: "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."
MESSAGE
One of my favorite Bible stories is of Paul on the road to Damascus. One of my favorite movies is “Changing Lanes.” Since this is the 2nd Sunday of Easter, and ‘Changing Lanes” is our movie of the month, it seems like an ideal time to reflect on both.
We are continuing to explore Swedenborg’s 3rd step of regeneration [and the 3rd day of creation] as we find ourselves at the 4th step of A.A. Next week we are into May with its 5th step and Swedenborg’s fourth stage. So today is the day to talk BOTH about my favorite Bible passage and my favorite movie!
Both the story of Paul and the movie are about profound and utter “turning around” of one’s life. Transformation. In Paul’s situation, his conversion was sudden and dramatic. While on the road to persecute Christians, he saw a great light, fell to the ground, and heard a great voice asking, “Saul; why do you persecute me?”
Saul was transformed into Paul; a strong and faithful servant of the Lord’s. It happened in an instant. This form of repentance is probably the fastest possible!
For most of us, our transformation is a long process taking weeks, months, and years.
In the movie, Changing Lanes, the change in life is not instantaneous, like for Paul. But it doesn’t take weeks or years. It happens in one day.
We are continuing to explore Swedenborg’s 3rd step of regeneration [and the 3rd day of creation] as we find ourselves at the 4th step of A.A. Next week we are into May with its 5th step and Swedenborg’s fourth stage. So today is the day to talk BOTH about my favorite Bible passage and my favorite movie!
Both the story of Paul and the movie are about profound and utter “turning around” of one’s life. Transformation. In Paul’s situation, his conversion was sudden and dramatic. While on the road to persecute Christians, he saw a great light, fell to the ground, and heard a great voice asking, “Saul; why do you persecute me?”
Saul was transformed into Paul; a strong and faithful servant of the Lord’s. It happened in an instant. This form of repentance is probably the fastest possible!
For most of us, our transformation is a long process taking weeks, months, and years.
In the movie, Changing Lanes, the change in life is not instantaneous, like for Paul. But it doesn’t take weeks or years. It happens in one day.
That day just happens to be Good Friday. It is a day in which one man, Gavin Banke [played by Ben Affleck] is racing to court to file an important paper that would bring in millions of dollars to his law firm. It is also a fraudulent piece of paper. The other man, Doyle Gipson [played by Samuel L. Jackson} is racing to family court to fight for custody of his two sons.
As fate – and the movie plot would have it – the two men collide on a busy street of New York. In the ensuing confusion, Gavin has accidently left his important paper with Doyle. He races off, leaving Doyle by the side of the road with a disabled vehicle. By the time Doyle gets to court, he has lost custody of his sons.
Gavin, facing a judge, tries to explain why he lost this crucial document. He spends the rest of the day trying to get it back from Doyle. He hires a man to ruin Doyle’s financial standing. Doyle becomes increasingly determined to destroy the document.
During the rest of the day, their lives are change forever. The way things unfold in their lives this Good Friday can only be the work of Divine Providence. Although fiction, it is a “fast track” version of how things happen to transform us in our own lives. It reminds us of how God has created "all things bright and beautiful" in the day; even the things that at first seem to be tragedies.
The entire movie can be seen in ten segments on U-‘Tube. I’ve summarized the beginning of the movie for you, and now invite you to watch segments #5 and #6. Here you can see God at work, as these men are faced with the most challenging moral struggle of their lives.
I will also post the end of the movie, #10, which shows the final stage of transformation and how their lives have changes. WARNING; SPOILER! Because this is the end of the movie, you might want to skip it. Or maybe just watch it all now! Get the popcorn ready …
[if you want to see the entire movie, go to this link. It is Part I. After you watch it, you'll see Part II available, and so on, through the 10 sections.
I'll begin in the middle of the day, with the Lord hard at work in the lives of these 2 men:
CHANGING LANES, Part V:
At the beginning of Part V, you see how Banek is attempting to destroy Doyle's credit rating. By the end of this section, Doyle is reflecting on the number of things he has done in one day of questionable ethics.
As fate – and the movie plot would have it – the two men collide on a busy street of New York. In the ensuing confusion, Gavin has accidently left his important paper with Doyle. He races off, leaving Doyle by the side of the road with a disabled vehicle. By the time Doyle gets to court, he has lost custody of his sons.
Gavin, facing a judge, tries to explain why he lost this crucial document. He spends the rest of the day trying to get it back from Doyle. He hires a man to ruin Doyle’s financial standing. Doyle becomes increasingly determined to destroy the document.
During the rest of the day, their lives are change forever. The way things unfold in their lives this Good Friday can only be the work of Divine Providence. Although fiction, it is a “fast track” version of how things happen to transform us in our own lives. It reminds us of how God has created "all things bright and beautiful" in the day; even the things that at first seem to be tragedies.
The entire movie can be seen in ten segments on U-‘Tube. I’ve summarized the beginning of the movie for you, and now invite you to watch segments #5 and #6. Here you can see God at work, as these men are faced with the most challenging moral struggle of their lives.
I will also post the end of the movie, #10, which shows the final stage of transformation and how their lives have changes. WARNING; SPOILER! Because this is the end of the movie, you might want to skip it. Or maybe just watch it all now! Get the popcorn ready …
[if you want to see the entire movie, go to this link. It is Part I. After you watch it, you'll see Part II available, and so on, through the 10 sections.
I'll begin in the middle of the day, with the Lord hard at work in the lives of these 2 men:
CHANGING LANES, Part V:
At the beginning of Part V, you see how Banek is attempting to destroy Doyle's credit rating. By the end of this section, Doyle is reflecting on the number of things he has done in one day of questionable ethics.
Changing Lanes, Part VI
In this segment, we see Banek at dinner with his wife, where the moral choices are clear. How will he resolve them? If you want to know now, here is the final segment:
Changing Lanes: Conclusion
Changing Lanes: Conclusion
How is God at work in your life today to bring about transformation? Be aware of all things -- bright and beautiful -- in your life today.
CLOSING SONG
"All Things Bright and Beautiful"
"All Things Bright and Beautiful"
Now extinguish your candle 
And close the Bible. 
Go forth; being open to all of the ways the Divine Providence is at work in your life today.
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