Comments on: Stained-Glass Saints? http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/ A Ministry of Shepherds' Fellowship Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:54:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Curtis http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-105196 Curtis Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:19:28 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-105196 Pastor John Through the obedience, shed blood, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, God has added His "everything" to my "less than nothing" and made me fit for his use (smile). As Jeremiah saw with the potter, God took marred clay and made it into something that pleases Him...me! This thought of my merciful and loving God has brought me to tears many times in my life. It keeps me humble, grateful, obedient, and filled with unspeakable joy and peace that passes understanding. Our God is such an awesome God! He is without equal and absolutely nothing can compare to Him! Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool! To Him be praise, glory, honor, dominion, power, and might forever and ever! Amen! All I can say is "What a mighty God we serve!" Your brother in Christ Pastor John

Through the obedience, shed blood, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit, God has added His “everything” to my “less than nothing” and made me fit for his use (smile). As Jeremiah saw with the potter, God took marred clay and made it into something that pleases Him…me!

This thought of my merciful and loving God has brought me to tears many times in my life. It keeps me humble, grateful, obedient, and filled with unspeakable joy and peace that passes understanding.

Our God is such an awesome God! He is without equal and absolutely nothing can compare to Him! Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool! To Him be praise, glory, honor, dominion, power, and might forever and ever! Amen!

All I can say is “What a mighty God we serve!”

Your brother in Christ

]]> By: Kevin Williams http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104890 Kevin Williams Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:55:12 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104890 Reminds me several years before we got saved, me and my family used to go to an Anglican church, with many stain glass windows. The congregation bow and pray to a window with Jesus on. And this was almost straight after reciting the Ten Commandments. When I told them they were violating the commandments they'd just read, I was told "We're not worshipping the image, we're just worshipping God through the image, it gives us something to focus on." Just like the Israelites did with the Golden Calf. Reminds me several years before we got saved, me and my family used to go to an Anglican church, with many stain glass windows. The congregation bow and pray to a window with Jesus on. And this was almost straight after reciting the Ten Commandments. When I told them they were violating the commandments they’d just read, I was told “We’re not worshipping the image, we’re just worshipping God through the image, it gives us something to focus on.”

Just like the Israelites did with the Golden Calf.

]]> By: Douglas Grogg http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104810 Douglas Grogg Sun, 03 Feb 2008 23:08:59 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104810 Pastor John, Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. Your last paragraph was especially comforting to me. When I consider the glorious love affair within the trinity I am oftentimes brought to tears. I ask you to please join with me in petitioning Our Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit came to glorify the Son) to somehow glorify Christ in and through the life of His unworthy Servant. Pastor John, Thank you so much for your words of encouragement. Your last paragraph was especially comforting to me. When I consider the glorious love affair within the trinity I am oftentimes brought to tears. I ask you to please join with me in petitioning Our Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit (The Holy Spirit came to glorify the Son) to somehow glorify Christ in and through the life of His unworthy Servant.

]]> By: Brian Culver http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104473 Brian Culver Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:54:25 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104473 I suppose the pope does what a lot of people do... they will try to justify themselves before man! I honestly don't think the passage bothers him. For the person who truly believes in Jesus and in His Words, the Scriptures come alive with meaning. To the others, they remain blind and deaf to the Truth! I suppose the pope does what a lot of people do…
they will try to justify themselves before man! I honestly don’t think the passage bothers him. For the person who truly believes in Jesus and in His Words, the Scriptures come alive with meaning. To the others, they remain blind and deaf to the Truth!

]]> By: David M. http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104267 David M. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:33:07 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104267 I wonder what the pope thinks when he reads the Herod passage you just cited. I wonder what the pope thinks when he reads the Herod passage you just cited.

]]> By: John http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104222 John Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:07:44 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104222 Excellent comment Mike :) Excellent comment Mike :)

]]> By: Mike http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/comment-page-1/#comment-104203 Mike Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:56:13 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/02/01/stained-glass-saints/#comment-104203 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am just a man." -- Acts 10:25-26 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have become like men and have come down to us." And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. -- Acts 14:11-15 I've always found it interesting that all this veneration of the apostles goes on when they themselves where aghast at the thought. Neither Peter nor Paul would allow themselves to be worshiped. Also interesting, if you're not Jesus look at what happens when you don't stop people from worshiping you: "On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, 'The voice of a god and not of a man!' And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." -- Acts 12:21-23 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” — Acts 10:25-26

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM. — Acts 14:11-15

I’ve always found it interesting that all this veneration of the apostles goes on when they themselves where aghast at the thought. Neither Peter nor Paul would allow themselves to be worshiped.

Also interesting, if you’re not Jesus look at what happens when you don’t stop people from worshiping you: “On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.” — Acts 12:21-23

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