Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

NCC in the morning, a more encouraging service. Ron preaching master of the pause - great stuff though. Back for lunch. J. and I went for a run (serially), played with H. soup/chicken sandwiches for dinner.
Gordon sermon Groupthink on 1Cor.15;
- The context is a chapter on the resurrection, the Corinthianss deny the consequences of the bodily resurrection - 3 things to shock them to their senses.
  - If there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptised for the dead - one of the most difficult passages in the new testament; 40 alternative hypotheses. Mention one: that of the Mormons, also present in C 3rd,4th Gnostics - proxy / vicarious baptism, or baptising dead bodies. Early church viewed the positions as unconvincing & no-where authorized. Unlikely to be a random un-commented ad-hominem. The theif on the cross wasn't baptised before death, confessed sins, and his faith - today you will be with me in paradise, on the other side of the moment of death - no sign of baptism. In the immediate context it doesn't advance the argument.
    
    One explanation with a higher degree of plausability; People who are baptised under the earging of those who are about to die, so they might be re-united. Last words are accorded a great weight, no motives etc. we know such appeals were made by those about to be martyred.
    
    eg. 2 Maccabees 7 - apocryphal - a mother and 7 children face martyrdom having watched her first 6 sons be tortured to death she says to the last: Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them. It seems clear that people would urge their friends and relations to be reconciled to God and baptised as they were being put to death.
    
    An alternative variant is that, the dead person appealing - is none other than Paul, shortly after in vs. 31 I die every day. ie. if there is no resurrection you would be fools to be baptised at Paul's entreaty.
  - The apostles are fools to live such self sacrificial lives. When Paul talks of his sufferings he links them with the resurrection.
  - If there is no resurrection: let us eat and drink tomorrow we die - an allusion to the Epicurian motto ? the Epicurians not intending a life of abandoned drunkenness, but an incentive to the good life - fine dining, excellent cuisine, music, art, theatre etc. - enjoy your friendship etc.: refined hedonism.
    
    Jesus tells the parable of the man building a barn to store all his good things up ( Luke12) with Eat, drink and be merry - but God said to him You fool ! this very night your life will be demanded of you. People who live for the moment, live for far too little. God wants us to have deeper, more lasting fulfillment. We are far too easily pleased with drink, food, sex etc., God has joy everlasting at his right hand.
- The crowning point: the Corinthians have been sold a contemporary bill of goods that "matter doesn't matter" Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character. Conformity is more pernicious than you think. Candid camera, funniest are the conformity to social pressure - the elevator piece, every victim turning to face with the hired crowd. The Christian however is invited to go the other way.
- The truism has been mis-applied by Christians; it does not allow people to judge others more effectively, instead to challenge us to examine ourselves, to see how we've bought into our own culture. Nor does it seem an invitation to sign up for a Monastry - we are called to be good company, to be a friend of sinners like Jesus was. Paul says to avoid bad company ( 1Cor5) you'd have to leave this world.
- The flip-side is good company promotes good character - good to have cross-cultural friendships for a good critique. C.S.Lewis said to read an old book between each new one to get a different perspective. The effect of the outstanding example in Earnest Gordon's experience in To End all Wars [ must read the book ].
- Summary - the resurrection is real, and a bright future to look forward to as we pack-up in old age. Gordon's encouragement as his retina gives up.

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Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

2004-01-11: Sunday