Oaks Parish

June 3, 2023The Oaks Parish Podcast with Bryan Buck & Martha Van Houten

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 16Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionIsaiah 53:2 (NRSV) He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. Paul David Tripp Even if your struggles are your own making and your problems are caused by your foolishness, God still offers his forgiving and rescuing grace. Tim Chester, 1 Samuel for You Samuel had to appoint a king. In a sense it is a task we all have. We must choose who will be king over our lives. Who or what will have our ultimate allegiance? It might be a person. It might be an ideology. It might be material possessions. It might be ourselves—our comfort or power or pride. There might be a number of things competing for our allegiance. But something will rule our hearts. How will we decide?Heath Thomas & J.D. Grear, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Samuel Most of us have tried to measure up to the world’s criteria, but few people ever feel as if they have succeeded. The stress of trying to have the perfect body, a successful career, a conflict-free family—all these have eluded us. It comes as refreshing, freeing news that God is not particularly concerned with our earthly successes.Application Questions1. Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. Why can we call this gospel-centered evaluation? 2. How might your life change by seeing yourself and others as the Lord sees? 3. How does David’s ministry to Saul epitomize gospel-centered evaluation and help us understand the ministry of Jesus in our own life?

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 15Pat Roach

The Oaks Parish PodcastBryan Buck and Martha Van HoutenNotes:Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation“Why should I worry about losing a bodily life that I must inevitably lose anyway, as long as I possess a spiritual life and identity that cannot be lost against my desire? Why should I fear to cease to be what I am not when I have already become something of what I am? Why should I go to great labor to possess satisfactions that cannot last an hour, and which bring misery after them, when I already own God in His eternity of joy? It is the easiest thing in the world to possess this life and this joy; all you have to do is believe and love; and yet people waste their whole lives in appalling labor and difficulty and sacrifice to get things that make real life impossible. This is one of the chief contradictions that sin has brought into our souls: we have to do violence to ourselves to keep from laboring uselessly for what is bitter and without joy, and we have to compel ourselves to take what is easy and full of happiness as though it were against our interests, because for us the line of least resistance leads in the way of greatest hardship and sometimes for us to do what is, in itself, most easy, can be the hardest thing in the world.”

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 14Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionThomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation Why should I fear anything that cannot rob me of God, and why should I desire anything that cannot give me possession of Him?Tim Keller, Prodigal God A person motivated by love rather than fear will not only obey the letter of the law, but will eagerly seek out new ways to carry out business with transparency and integrity.Heather Thomas & J.D. Grear, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Samuel You can always tell whether a tree is rooted in the ground by seeing if it grows and bears fruit. For instance, a live Christmas tree, after it has been in the house for about a week, starts to deteriorate—the needles fall off and it bears no cones. Likewise, Saul did not bear fruits of victory and true righteousness because he was not planted in the Lord.Tim Chester, 1 Samuel for You In faith, we can attempt brave things for God. But Jonathan is more than an example; he is also a pointer to Jesus, and we must not miss the thrill. We can be brave because Jesus has won the victory by descending to the cross. He has gone through the jaws of death, and death consumed him. But he has risen again to overcome sin and death. In 1 Samuel 14, we are not to place ourselves in Jonathan’s shoes; Jesus is the one who has stood there, cosmically and finally. We are called to follow; to trust the Son, who takes us through death and to life, and to trust him enough to walk behind him.Application Questions1. How did Jonathan experience blessing from trusting faith? How have you seen this true in your own life? 2. How does fear affect our ability to trust God? 3. How does the gospel idea of ransom set us free for faith?

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 12:1-23Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionC.S. Lewis, Collected Letters You surely don’t mean feeling that we are not worthy to be forgiven? For of course we aren’t. Forgiveness by its nature is for the unworthy. You mean feeling that we are not forgiven. I have known that. I ‘believed’ theoretically in the divine forgiveness for years before it really came home to me. It is a wonderful moment when it does. Dane Ortlund, Deeper At conversation we walk out of the courtroom, but throughout our lives of discipleship we suffer from gospel amnesia and keep walking back in. 1 Samuel for You Israel’s new start with a new king has foundered because the underlying unbelief and disobedience of humanity in Adam has not changed. We need a king who will not only rescue us from our enemies, but also from ourselves. We need a king who can take on sin and liberate us from our slavery to our sinful desires. We need a king who obeys God in all circumstances, even when put under the pressure of unfavourable circumstances. Saul is not that man. So his kingdom will not endure.Richard D. Phillips, The Reformed Expository Commentary There is no situation and no problem in which Christians cannot be blessed by God’s mighty help, if only we will turn to the Lord in sincere faith, humble ourselves before him as our Lord and God, and renew our commitment to walk in his Word. This is the all-purpose solution to every problem, and it works because God is so gracious and ready to receive his erring children as to put his blessing upon our heads. Repentance, faith, and new obedience are the way forward for every Christian from wherever we are, good or bad, right at this moment.Application Questions1. Consider a recent failure. What does it tell you about your relationship with God? 2. How does the gospel uniquely enable confession that leads to freedom? 3. Samuel’s description of life-giving faith can be summarized as awareness, reliance, and remembrance. Which of these three elements stands out for you as a means of growing in the gospel this week?

The Oaks Parish PodcastBryan Buck & Martha Van Houten

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 10Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionC.S. Lewis, Three Kinds of Men The price of Christ is something, in a way, much easier than moral effort-it is to want Him. It is true that the wanting itself would be beyond our power but for one fact. The world is so built that, to help us desert our own satisfaction, they desert us. War and trouble and finally old age take from us one by one all those things that the natural Self hoped for at its setting out. Begging is our only wisdom, and want in the end makes it easier for us to be beggars. Even on those terms the Mercy will receive us. Timothy Keller, Counterfeit God’s (2009) One of the signs that an object is functioning as an idol is that fear becomes one of the chief cornerstones of life. When we center our lives on the idol, we become dependent on it. If our counterfeit god is threatened in any way, our response is complete panic. We do not say, “What a shame, how difficult,” but rather “This is the end! There’s no hope!”This may be a reason why so many people now respond to U.S. political trends in such an extreme way. When either party wins an election, a certain percentage of the losing side talks openly about leaving the country. They become agitated and fearful for the future. They have put the kind of hope in their political leaders and policies that once was reserved for God and the work of the gospel. Richard D. Phillips, The Reformed Expository Commentary We do have a choice. Everything that Saul represents is still alive today, enthroned in the worldly seats of power and holding forth enticing calls for our submission and worship. We have a choice between Saul, whose name identifies him as the king that the unbelieving world asked for, and Jesus, whose name identified him as the Savior sent by God to deliver his people from the penalty and power of their sins (Matt. 1:21). Our choice—to embrace the world or trust in Christ—will determine the kingdom in which our salvation will be found: either an earthly reign of unrighteous expedience and fleshly power or an eternal and heavenly kingdom of righteousness and peace.Application Questions 1. How does fear separate us from God? 2. Why does the gospel give us a true sense of confidence? 3. How might God be calling you to step out in trusting faith this week?

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 9Quincy Robinson

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 8Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionDietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics Do and dare what is right, not swayed by the whim of the moment. Bravely take hold of the real, not dallying now with what might be. Not in the flight of ideas but only in action is freedom. Make up your mind and come out into the tempest of living. God’s command is enough and your faith in him to sustain you. Then at last freedom will welcome your spirit amid great rejoicing.Tim Keller, Reason for God Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally. J.D. Greear, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Samuel All earthly kings disappoint. But God is an altogether different King. He showed Israel time and time again that He had been faithful to them, even when they were not. They were unbelieving in the wilderness, but God gave them manna. They served idols, which led to other nations afflicting them; but when they called out to God in repentance, He immediately came to their aid and delivered them. Here is a King who not only supplies the needs of His own but also forgives and has mercy on those who fail Him. Why would anyone desire another king than Him?Application Questions1. What is your typical response to seasons of confusion? How might that be happening right now? 2. Israel wanted a king. What was the difference between how they imagined kingship and the reality of it? 3. Why does God tell Samuel, “listen to their voice”? How have you seen God work in this way in your own life?

Scripture Text: Psalm 133; Hebrews 12:1-2Pat RoachQuotes for ReflectionMary Shelley, Frankenstein I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs. Application Questions1. Where is Jesus present in the world? In Portland and the Metro Area? How do you know?2. Who or what is it that compels you to be a part of Oaks Parish?3. When you look around (Portland, Oaks, the mirror) - do you see a need for freedom or legal strategies of behavior modification?

Scripture Text: 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22Quotes for ReflectionN.T. Wright, The Challenge of Easter The church, the followers of Jesus Christ, live in the bright interval between Easter and the final great consummation. Let's make no mistake either way. The reason the early Christians were so joyful was because they knew themselves to be living not so much in the last days (that that was true too) as in the first days - the opening days of God's new creation. What Jesus did was not a mere example of something else, not a mere manifestation of some larger truth; it was itself the climatic event and fact of cosmic history.Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation Ultimately the only way that I can be myself is to become identified with Him in Whom is hidden the reason and fulfillment of my existence. Therefore there is only one problem on which all my existence, my peace and my happiness depend: to discover myself in discovering God. If I find Him I will find myself and if I find my true self I will find Him.Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor Christians should be aware of this revolutionary understanding of the purpose of their work in the world. We are not to choose jobs and conduct our work to fulfill ourselves and accrue power, for being called by God to do something is empowering enough. We are to see work as a way of service to God and our neighbor, and so we should both choose and conduct our work in accordance with that purpose. The question regarding our choice of work is no longer “What will make me the most money and give me the most status?” The question must now be “How, with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God’s will and of human need?Application Questions1. What has Easter meant to you in the past and how might that change after today?2. What is one area in your life where you need to consider yourself dead to sin and what would it look like to be alive in Christ?3. What flag can you plant in the soil of your vocation that signals there’s a different way to be human, a gospel way?

Scripture Text: Matthew 28:1-10Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionCornelius À Lapide, The Great Commentary The earth which trembled with horror at the death of Christ, as it were leaped with joy at the resurrection.2Michale J. Wilkins, Matthew The stone that was sealed by the guards to assure that the body of Jesus would remain in the crypt now becomes the seat of triumph for the angel. The stone is rolled away, not to let the risen Jesus out but to let the women in to witness the fact of the empty tomb.N.T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone The point, of course, is that what is happening is the action of God himself. The God who remained apparently silent on Good Friday is having the last word. He is answering the unspoken questions of Jesus’ followers, and the spoken question of Jesus himself on the cross. And what God is doing is not just an extraordinary miracle, a display of supernatural power for its own sake, or a special favour to Jesus. What God is doing is starting something new, beginning the new world promised long ago, sending the disciples to Galilee in the first place but then, as we shall see, on to the ends of the earth and the close of the age with the news of what has happened. A whole new world was opening up in front of them.C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.Application Questions1. What are you looking for this Easter morning?2. Why is giving up yourself necessary to finding your real self in Jesus?3. How is God calling you to belong here at Oaks Parish, so that others can believe?

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "Christ at Emmaus" © Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, Drawn to the Light (2006)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "Buried" © Josh Hill (2023)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "Forsaken" © Andrew Shaughnessy (2023)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "Dinner Before Death" © Andrew Shaughnessy (2022)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "The Pivot of Hope" © Walter Brueggemann, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth (2002)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "Jesus Cleansing the Temple" © Andrew Shaughnessy (2024)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Scripture Text: Matthew 19:28-40Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionJ.I. Packer, Rediscovering HolinessJust as there could be for Jesus no crown without the cross, so there can be for us no holiness without praise. Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty BystanderHow absolutely central is the truth that we are first of all part of nature, though we are a very special part, that which is conscious of God. In solitude, one is entirely surrounded by beings which perfectly obey God. N.T. Wright, Luke for EveryoneThat was the way the pilgrims came, with Jesus going on ahead, as he had planned all along. This was to be the climax of his story, of his public career, of his vocation. He knew well enough what lay ahead, and had set his face to go and meet it head on. He couldn’t stop announcing the kingdom, but that announcement could only come true if he now embodied in himself the things he’d been talking about. The living God was at work to heal and save, and the forces of evil and death were massed to oppose him, like Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt trying to prevent the Israelites from leaving. But this was to be the moment of God’s new Exodus, God’s great Passover, and nothing could stop Jesus going ahead to celebrate it.Application Questions1. How does the Passover shed light on the meaning of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem? 2. What role does praise of Jesus play in understanding his holiness? 3. Jesus did not meet some people’s expectations. How might you be asking Jesus to follow you?

During Holy Week, we invite you to listen to this daily reflection, responding to the Scripture and poetry in personal meditation and prayer.Poetic Reflection: "The Anointing at Bethany" © Malcolm Guite (2012)Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Scripture Text: Ephesians 3:14-21Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionJulian of Norwich, The Complete Julian of NorwichWhen we are fallen because of frailty or blindness, then our gracious Lord inspires us, stirs us and calls us, and then he wills that we see our wretchedness and humbly let it be acknowledged. But He does not wish us to remain thus. Nor does He will that we busy ourselves greatly about accusing ourselves, nor does He will that we be full of misery about ourselves; for He wills that we quickly attend to Him; for He stands all alone and waits for us constantly, sorrowing and mourning until we come, and hastens to take us to himself, for we are His joy and delight and He is our cure and our life.Dane Ortland, DeeperThe wraparound category of your life is not your performance but God’s love. The defining hallmark of your life is not your cleanness but his embrace. The deepest destiny of your life is to descend ever deeper, with quiet yet ever-increasing intensity, into the endless love of God. We grow spiritually by getting a head start on that project, right here in this fallen earthly life. John Owen, Communion with the Triune GodSo much as we see of the love of God, so much shall we delight in him, and no more. Every other discovery of God, without this, will but make the soul fly from him; but if the heart be once much taken up with this the eminency of the Father’s love, it cannot choose but be overpowered, conquered, and endeared unto him…If the love of a father will not make a child delight in him, what will? Application Questions1. What causes you to doubt God’s love? 2. Slowly review Paul’s prayer. How does it inform our understanding of the gospel of grace? 3. How do you need to comprehend God’s love this coming week? Express that to God in prayer.

During week 36of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 6 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Sermon Text: Hebrews 12:1-17Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionC.S. Lewis, The Problem of PainIt is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.John of the Cross, The Ascent to Mount CarmelOne dark night,fired with love’s urgent longings-ah, the sheer grace!-I went out unseen,my house being now all stilled.Dane Ortlund, DeeperOur natural instinct tell us that the way forward in the Christian life is by avoiding pain so that, in distracted, we can get down to the business at hand of growing in Christ. The New Testament tell us again and again, however, that pain is a means, not an obstacle, to deepening in Christian maturity. The anguish, disappointments, and futility that afflict us are themselves vital building blocks to our growth…Pain will foster growth like nothing else can-if we will let it.J.C. Ryle, HolinessAs a general rule, in the long run of life, it will be found true that sanctified people are the happiest people on earth. They have solid comforts that the world can neither give nor take away.Application Questions1. How has God used pain to draw you into deeper relationship with himself?2. To use a phrase of John of the Cross, what “appetite” is hindering holiness in your life? How can looking to Christ bring quiet to your soul?3. Holiness is happiness. How does this reality change your life with Jesus this week?

During week 5 of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 3 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Scripture Text: Acts 16:25-34Quincy Robinson

During week 3 of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 4 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Scripture Text: Ephesians 2:1-10Mike KellyQuotes for ReflectionCS Lewis, The Problem of PainWe have so concentrated on one of the virtues — "kindness" or mercy— that most of us do not feel that anything except kindness to be really good or anything but cruelty to be really bad.....The real trouble is that "kindness" is a quality fatally easy to attribute to ourselves on inadequate grounds. Everyone feels benevolent if nothing happens to be annoying him at the moment… If, being cowardly, conceited and slothful, you have never done a fellow creature great mischief, that is only because your neighbor's welfare has not happened to conflict with your safety, self-approval, or ease.

During week 3 of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 3 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Scripture Text: 1 Peter 1:13-25Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionRudyard Kipling, “The Way through the Woods”They shut the road through the woodsSeventy years ago.Weather and rain have undone it again.And now you would never knowThere was once a road through the woods.J.I. Packer, Rediscovering Holiness“Holy” is both biblical languages means separated and set apart for God, consecrated and made over to Him. In its application to people, God’s “holy ones” or “saints,” the word implies both devotion and assimilation: devotion, in the sense of living a life of service to God; assimilation, in the sense of imitating, conforming to, and becoming like the God one serves. For Christians, this means taking God’s moral law as our rule and God’s incarnate Son as our model; this is where our analysis of holiness must start.J.C. Ryle, HolinessMost people hope to go to heaven when they die, but few, it may be feared, take the trouble to consider whether or not they would enjoy heaven if they got there. Heaven is essentially a holy place. Its inhabitants are all holy. Its activities are all holy. To be really happy in heaven, it is clear and plain that we must be somewhat trained and made ready for heaven while we are on earth.Henri Nouwen, Out of SolitudeGive me eyes to see and ears to hear. I know there is light in the darkness that makes everything new. I know there is a joy beyond sorrow that rejuvenates my heart. Yes, Lord, I know that you are, that you act, that you love, that you indeed are Light, Life, and Truth. People, work, plans, projects, ideas, meetings, buildings, paintings, music, and literature all can only give me real joy and peace when I can see and hear them as reflections of your presence, your glory, your kingdom.Application Questions1. How is God’s holiness important for our culture today?2. Peter’s exhortation is to live as foreigners with reverent fear. How would that reshape your life?3. As we begin the season of Lent, where do you sense the need for holiness in your life?

During week 2 of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 2 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer.Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections.All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 1 of Lent, we invite you to listen to this reflection at the end of your week, as an opportunity to look back on your week using the prayer practice of Examen. Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections. All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

During week 1 of Lent, we invite you to listen to the following reflection at any point during the week; it loosely follows the practice of Lectio Divina - listening to the Word of God and responding in prayer. Music © Courtland Urbano // Special thanks to Courtland Urbano, for his contribution of music to these daily reflections. All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

The Oaks Parish Podcast Bryan Buck & Martha Van HoutenEpisode Links:Rich Habits Podcast on Apple or SpotifyPracticing the King’s Economy - Rhodes, Holt, and Fikkert

Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 12:13-21Bryan BuckQuotes for ReflectionRandy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and EternityWater is a gift of God. Used properly, it gives life. Out of control, it floods, drowns, and destroys. Fire is a gift of God. Out of control, it brings horrible destruction and death. The greater a thing's potential for good when used rightly, the greater its potential for evil when used wrongly. So it is with money—it has vast potential to be used for either good or evil.Kim King, When Women GiveMoney is simply a tool. Right? How do we use this tool? There are only three options: We can save. We can spend. We can give. None of these choices is inherently good or bad. What makes money good or bad is its use.C.S. Lewis, Mere ChristianityIf our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little.Thomas Merton, The Seven Storrey MountainAs the week went on, the house began to fill, and the evening before Holy Thursday there must have been some twenty-five or thirty retreatants in the monastery, men young and old, from all quarters of the country. Half a dozen students had hitch-hiked down from Notre Dame, with glasses and earnest talk about the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. There was a psychiatrist from Chicago who said he came down every Easter, and there were three or four pious men who turned out to be friends and benefactors of the monastery— quiet, rather women personages; they assumed a sort of command over the other guests. They had a right to. They practically lived here in this guest house. In fact, they had a kind of quasi-vocation all their own. They belonged to that special class of men raised up by God to support orphanages and convents and monasteries and build hospitals and feed the poor. On the whole it is a way to sanctity that is sometimes too much despised. It sometimes implies a more than ordinary humility in men who come to think that the monks and nuns they assist are creatures of another world. God will show us at the latter day that many of them were better men than the monks they supported!Application Questions1. What do you learn about your own heart from the parable of the Rich Fool?2. Creating a cushion, ditching bad debt, and planning ahead are essential movements that enable generosity. What is God calling you to focus on in this season in order to become a cheerful giver?3. Looking back at this series, what’s your biggest takeaway?

The Oaks Parish PodcastBryan Buck & Martha Van Houten

Scripture Text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9; Malachi 3:6-12Bryan BuckQuotes for Reflection:The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible, MalachiThe book may serve as a catechism for times of doubt and disappointment, during which people in the visible church are tempted to disengage from their covenant God. The prophets ministry was to light the lamp of faith in a disheartened people by reminding them of God’s electing love and to set forth the continuing obligations of the covenant to those who truly knew God.Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and EternityParting with money wasn't any easier for the people of Israel than for us. In fact, most of them were far poorer and worked a great deal harder for their money than we do. Yet tithing was so built into their lives that it became "natural" to them in the best sense. In times of national obedience, their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and business partners-everyone around them—practiced tithing. It became a way of life. When they went their own way and stopped tithing and withheld freewill offerings, God told them they were robbing him. Then he invited his people to test him by going back to tithing and giving voluntary offerings. The tithe was a divine invitation to test God's promises to provide (Malachi 3:8-12). Tithing begins as a duty but can become a delight, leading to joyful voluntary giving. For faithful Israelites, unclenching their fists and opening them to God had a thousand trickle-down benefits. Is it any different for us today?Irenaeus of Lyons, Against HeresiesThe Jews were constrained to a regular payment of tithes; Christians, who have liberty, assign all their possessions to the Lord, bestowing freely not the lesser portions of their property, since they have the hope of greater things.John Cortines & Gregory Baumer, True RichesWe shouldn’t give to things because we care about them deeply. Rather, we should give to things because God cares about them deeply. Giving often starts as an obedient step of faith before it blossoms into joyful love over time. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”Application Questions:1. Why is giving a tenth of our income so important for our life with God?2. Have you trusted God in tithing even when it was difficult? If so, what was the result?3. Take a moment this week to check-in on your tithe. What action do you need to take?

The Oaks Parish Podcast with Bryan Buck & Martha Van HoutenEpisode Notes & Links:Click here to submit a question for the Cheerful Giving series.Recommended Reading:Money Boss Mom by Jamie A BosseRedeeming Money by Paul David TrippTrue Riches by John Cortines & Gregory BaumerWhen Women Give by Kim KingMoney, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy AlcornGod and Money by John Cortines & Gregory Baumer

Scripture Text: Genesis 3:1-24 and Luke 19:1-10Bryan BuckQuotes for Reflection:Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods Money cannot save you from tragedy, or give you control in a chaotic world. Only God can do that. What break the power of money over us is not just redoubled effort to follow the example of Christ. Rather, it is deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ, what you have in him, and then living out the changes that that understanding makes in your heart-the seat of your mind, will, and emotions.Kim King, When Women Give We were made to give. Scripture tells us that God made men and women in his image (Genesis 1:26-27), so we were made to love. We were made to enjoy what our Creator enjoys. We were also made to act with authority and responsibility toward all God has created on earth and entrusted to us. We share this responsibility with each other and with God.Basil of Caesarea, In Time of Great Famine and Drought, 4th century Preserve gratitude like a precious deposit within your soul, and from it you will receive a double portion of delight.Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity. However, if what we have we believe we have gotten, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety.John Cortines & Gregory Baumer, True Riches What is deeply within my heart, underneath my financial behaviors? If our hearts are full of gratitude for who God is and what he has given us, then we’re poised to experience the joy of God with our money. If our hearts are full of pride at what we can experience or accomplish, we’re on a road that tragically leads away from the true riches of life with God.Application Questions:1. Made in God’s image, we are created for generosity. What impact does this have for you personally?2. Among the barriers to generosity noted in the sermon, what’s most challenging for you?3. The gospel moves us from pride to gratitude. How can that change your relationship with money?

The Oaks Parish Podcast with Bryan Buck & Martha Van HoutenEpisode Notes & Links:Click here to contact Steve if you’re interested in financial counseling.Recommended Listening:Motley Fool Money (Apple Podcasts or Spotify)Money Guy (Apple Podcasts or Spotify)Rich Habits (Apple Podcasts or Spotify)Recommended Reading:Money Boss Mom by Jamie A BosseRedeeming Money by Paul David TrippTrue Riches by John Cortines & Gregory BaumerWhen Women Give by Kim KingMoney, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy AlcornGod and Money by John Cortines & Gregory Baumer

Scripture Text: Matthew 25:14-30Bryan BuckQuotes for Reflection:Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods As a pastor I’ve had people come to me to confess that they struggle with almost every kind of sin. Almost. “I spend too much money on myself. I think my greedy lust for money is harming my family, my soul, and people around me.” Greed hides itself from the victim. The money god’s modus operandi includes blindness to your own heart. Jesus warns people far more often about greed than about sex, yet almost no one thinks they are guilty of it. Therefore we should all begin with a working hypothesis that “this could easily be a problem for me.” If greed hides itself so deeply, no one should be confident that it is not a problem for them. How can we recognize and become free from the power of money blind to us? Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, & Eternity Stewardship isn’t a subcategory of the Christian life. Stewardship is the the Christian life. After all, what is stewardship that God has entrusted to us life, time, talents, money, possessions, family, and his grace? In each case, he evaluates how we regard what he has entrusted to us-and what we do with it. Scott Badger-Saye, Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear When our moral lives are shaped by fear, and safety is worshiped as the highest good, we are tempted to make health and security the primary justification for right action. We thus lead timid lives, fearing the risks of bold gestures. Instead of being courageous, we are content to be safe. Instead of being hopeful, we make virtues of cynicism and irony, which in turn keep us a safe distance from risky commitments. We are more likely to tell our children to “be careful” than to “be good.” The extravagant vision that woudl change the world gets traded in for the passive axiom “do no harm.” Application Questions:1. What are 2-3 words that summarize your relationship with money? 2. What questions or concerns would you like God to address in your heart during this series? 3. If God owns everything and we are merely stewards, what difference does this make for your life?

The Oaks Parish PodcastMartha Van Houten & special guest Matt DiBiasioClick here to learn more about our work with Family Promise and volunteer!

Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-23Mike Kelly

Special thanks to Alex Wenig, Director of Music at Oaks Parish, for her contribution of music to the podcast! From “Offering” © Alexandra Adkins, 2011:Sonata For 2 Violins In D Major, Op. 3, No. 6: IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Jean-Marie Leclair, 18th century)Sonata For 2 Violins In D Major, Op. 3, No. 6: I. Andante (Jean-Marie Leclair, 18th century)All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)

Special thanks to Alex Wenig, Director of Music at Oaks Parish, for her contribution of music to the podcast! From “Offering” © Alexandra Adkins, 2011:Sonata For 2 Violins In D Major, Op. 3, No. 6: IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Jean-Marie Leclair, 18th century)Sonata In E Major, Op. 1, No. 15: III: Largo (George Frideric Handel, 18th century)All Scripture is from the New Revised Standard Version © National Council of Churches (1989 )All prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer © Public Domain (2019)