{"id":1383,"date":"2015-08-07T06:22:55","date_gmt":"2015-08-07T11:22:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1383"},"modified":"2015-08-07T06:25:36","modified_gmt":"2015-08-07T11:25:36","slug":"a-changed-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/08\/07\/a-changed-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"A Changed Reality"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YIDwdoGGhSM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/sermons\/?sermon_id=68\" target=\"_blank\">Audio Version<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.waynezion.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Wayne Zion Lutheran Church,\u00a0Monticello IA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sunday, July 19, 2015<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah 23:1\u20136<br \/>\nPsalm 23:1-6<br \/>\nEphesians 2:11\u201322<br \/>\nMark 6:30\u201334, 53\u201356<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lds.org\/bc\/content\/bible-videos\/videos\/feeding-5000\/images\/jesus-feeds-the-5000.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lds.org\/bc\/content\/bible-videos\/videos\/feeding-5000\/images\/jesus-feeds-the-5000.jpg?resize=453%2C302&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"453\" height=\"302\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There is so much in all of our texts today.\u00a0 Often, I do not see a relation in the readings, but throughout these, there is a relation in all the readings.\u00a0 The overarching theme is that God is with us.\u00a0 On the surface, just how the heck does that help any of us?\u00a0 Okay, it is great that God is there but I know I don\u2019t always see God there.\u00a0 How about you?\u00a0 Do you see God today?\u00a0 Do you see the Spirit or Jesus present?<\/p>\n<p>There are some dark times in our lives, in our world and it can be difficult, if not impossible to find where God is.\u00a0 Has God left the building?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.iamacollyder.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/dark2.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.iamacollyder.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/dark2.jpg?resize=271%2C175\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"175\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The God of the Jews, the God of the Christians and the God of the Muslims, says in Jeremiah, that God \u201c\u2026will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. <sup>4\u00a0<\/sup>I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.\u201d <a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\"><sup><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 God\u2019s people are all people of the world.\u00a0 They shall all be gathered.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ellenwhite.info\/images\/chapt-illus\/DA\/PP-JesusTheShepherd_Misc_0041.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ellenwhite.info\/images\/chapt-illus\/DA\/PP-JesusTheShepherd_Misc_0041.jpg?resize=300%2C398\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"398\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>God sends God Son, Jesus, as the Shepherd among all of God\u2019s people.\u00a0 In that we hear the psalmist tell us, \u201c<sup>1<\/sup>The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. <sup>2<\/sup>He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;<sup>3<\/sup> he restores my [life].\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\"><sup><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Great, we have some promises of God, the Psalmist sees this, but where is God, where was Jesus then and where today?\u00a0 Paul writes in Ephesians, \u201c<sup>12\u00a0<\/sup>remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. <sup>13\u00a0<\/sup>But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn3\" name=\"_ftnref3\"><sup><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>God sent the Son into the world to conquer sin and death.\u00a0 Jesus \u201c<sup>15<\/sup><sup>\u00a0<\/sup>\u2026 has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace\u2026\u201d<a href=\"#_ftn4\" name=\"_ftnref4\"><sup><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Peace, where is the peace today?\u00a0 Do you have days, weeks and maybe years, where you cannot see our Triune God anywhere you look?\u00a0 I have those times too.\u00a0 So far, I have show you some words of promise from God but nothing of substance, really.<\/p>\n<p>Now it is time to get to the gospel of Mark, our good news to all who believe, all who do not believe, all that will come to faith.\u00a0 This good news applies to everyone, at all times, everywhere.\u00a0 There is substance in what the author of Mark tells us about Jesus.\u00a0 To understand this substance, I need to share some information to with you, that will help shed the light upon the hope in the gospel.<\/p>\n<p>In New Testament times and before, the understanding of the world was much different than our own today.\u00a0 Their understanding of the world around them, shapes their reality, much as our own understanding shapes our reality today.\u00a0 In other words, knowledge or lack of knowledge, beliefs or lack of beliefs, shape the reality in which one lives.<\/p>\n<p>The gospel of Mark was written at a time where the reality was shaped by mythological beliefs.\u00a0 Environmental aspects of the world were seen by many, caused by multiple gods.\u00a0 Even for the Jews, who believe in a single god, YHWH, their reality is still shaped around what others say, do and believe.\u00a0 The desert is a place where God is not present.\u00a0 Satan, death resides in the desert.\u00a0 It is deserted, lacking water and vegetation.\u00a0 To venture into the desert most definitely is a lonely place, away from others, away from God.\u00a0 It is an uninhabited, desolate place where one might only find despair.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyoddsandends.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/death-cult-mummies-desert-shore_58198_600x450.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/dailyoddsandends.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/death-cult-mummies-desert-shore_58198_600x450.jpg?resize=460%2C345\" alt=\"\" width=\"460\" height=\"345\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jesus and the apostles head towards the desert.\u00a0 The people head to the desert and are there in the desert, the place where God does not dwell but death resides. Jesus and the apostles are looking to be alone, away from others, but they choose to still go into the desert to the people.\u00a0 God arrives in the place were only death dwells.\u00a0 Jesus takes compassion on the people who are like sheep without a shepherd.\u00a0 Now we know where Jesus is, He is where the people are, in the places that are dark, deserted from life, where Satan resides.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus in His compassion, feeds those present.\u00a0 He provides them food, provides them green grass to sit upon.\u00a0 God is the god of creation, who in the Son is present in Jesus as one person of the Trinity.\u00a0 The Shepherd cares for you in your deserts, provides you the food of life, in His own body, given for you upon the cross.\u00a0 All are feed and are filled.<\/p>\n<p>The gospel reading for today, skips a section of the text, just in case you had not noticed.\u00a0 Actually, this section is very important to the understanding who Jesus is for you.\u00a0 After the 5,000 were full and the leftovers were gathered, Jesus sends the disciples into a boat.<\/p>\n<p>Mark 6:45-52<\/p>\n<p><sup>45\u00a0<\/sup>Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. <sup>46\u00a0<\/sup>After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.<\/p>\n<p><sup>47\u00a0<\/sup>When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. <sup>48\u00a0<\/sup>When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. <sup>49\u00a0<\/sup>But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; <sup>50\u00a0<\/sup>for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, \u201cTake heart, it is I; do not be afraid.\u201d <sup>51\u00a0<\/sup>Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, <sup>52\u00a0<\/sup>for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. <a href=\"#_ftn5\" name=\"_ftnref5\"><sup><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Jesus has control over the natural elements.\u00a0 He can walk on water.\u00a0 Jesus walks on water as the apostles struggle to control the boat, against the strong wind.\u00a0 The apostles are afraid, they are struggling and see a \u201cghost\u201d walking upon the water.\u00a0 They do not see Jesus, at least in their reality of the moment, it is not Jesus, it cannot be.\u00a0 At the time of fear and doubt, Jesus comes, takes compassion, calms the apostles, gets inside the boat and the winds come to a halt.\u00a0 Jesus has power over the wind and water.<\/p>\n<p>Remember at the beginning of the sermon, I spoke about the perception that other gods controlled the wind and water.\u00a0 The mythological world that the apostles live in, is their reality.\u00a0 They see 5,000 feed in the desert, with just five loaves and two fish, while they sat upon green grass in the place that death resides.\u00a0 Now they see that Jesus controls the wind and water.\u00a0 Their reality is changing.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus comes to the people in Gennesaret.\u00a0 Then begins to heal the people, wherever he goes.\u00a0 Jesus brings life, to those He encounters, no matter where they are.\u00a0 We may find ourselves in a living hell at times.\u00a0 We may find ourselves walking through the valley of the shadow of death.\u00a0 Jesus comes to us in our reality, wherever that may be.\u00a0 When Jesus died upon the cross, He descended into hell and all of hell was filled with his presence.\u00a0\u00a0 There is no place where Jesus cannot reach out to us.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/DayThatChanged-150px.png\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1386\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/08\/07\/a-changed-reality\/daythatchanged-150px\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/DayThatChanged-150px.png?fit=150%2C167&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"150,167\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DayThatChanged-150px\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;http:\/\/ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41XRKMMF5oL._SX318_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/DayThatChanged-150px.png?fit=150%2C167&amp;ssl=1\" class=\" size-thumbnail wp-image-1386 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/DayThatChanged-150px-150x150.png?resize=150%2C150\" alt=\"DayThatChanged-150px\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>His death, his descent into hell and his resurrection, provides us life even in death, forgiveness of all sins, past, present and future, so that Jesus can be with you and you with Jesus always.\u00a0 Even when you cannot see Jesus, because life and death seem so dark, Jesus meets you there to provide you light, in His life.\u00a0 Jesus changes the reality for all people, so that death no longer has the last word.\u00a0 Jesus changes our reality so that Satan cannot snatch us away from the Father, Son or Spirit.\u00a0 This is the good news; this is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kathrynlynnphotography.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/05\/jesus-is-life-1.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/kathrynlynnphotography.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/05\/jesus-is-life-1.jpg?resize=461%2C307\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"307\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\"><sup><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Je 23:3\u20134.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\"><sup><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ps 23:1\u20133.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\"><sup><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Eph 2:12\u201313.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\"><sup><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Eph 2:15.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ftnref5\" name=\"_ftn5\"><sup><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mk 6:45\u201352.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Audio Version Wayne Zion Lutheran Church,\u00a0Monticello IA Sunday, July 19, 2015 Jeremiah 23:1\u20136 Psalm 23:1-6 Ephesians 2:11\u201322 Mark 6:30\u201334, 53\u201356 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; There is so much in all of our texts today.\u00a0 Often, I do not see a relation in the readings, but throughout these, there is a relation in all &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/08\/07\/a-changed-reality\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[87,11,40,21,64,3,42,68,10,70,83,88,85],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1383","6":"format-standard","7":"category-christ","8":"category-death","9":"category-demons","10":"category-faith","11":"category-giving","12":"category-grace","13":"category-healing","14":"category-hope","15":"category-jesus","16":"category-life","17":"category-sermon","18":"category-sheep","19":"category-shepherd"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-mj","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2014,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2018\/03\/01\/its-all-about-the-love\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":0},"title":"It&#8217;s ALL about the Love","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"March 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, February 18, 2018 | Lent First Sunday in Lent Year B Old Testament Genesis 9:8\u201317 New Testament 1 Peter 3:18\u201322 Gospel Mark 1:9\u201315 https:\/\/youtu.be\/rKke3kRTQiM We started our journey with ashes, Remember you are Dust and Dust you shall return. Reminded of our dependence upon God. Maybe that is difficult\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Baptism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Baptism","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/baptism\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/rKke3kRTQiM\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":548,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2013\/08\/18\/faith-is-a-verb\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":1},"title":"Faith is a Verb","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"August 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Luke 12:49-56 Link to Audio Version Video Sermon Today\u2019s readings from Hebrews and Luke can be a little shocking. We hear of people of the past who achieved great things, in faith. The Reading from Hebrews tells of those, who in their faith, received torture, mocking, flogging, imprisonment\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Eternal Life&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Eternal Life","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/eternal-life\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":225,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2012\/06\/28\/a-new-family-in-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":2},"title":"A New Family in Christ","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"June 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Link to my Audio version Mark 3:20 - 35 What is family?\u00a0 Your mother, father, brother and sisters that you live with?\u00a0 Is there something more?\u00a0 Sure, we have grown up maybe with siblings, one or more parents...some may not have had blood related parents but parents none the less.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Family&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Family","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/family\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1762,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/03\/20\/the-group-factor-were-better-together-daniel-plan-part-a\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":3},"title":"The Group Factor&#8211;We&#8217;re Better Together, Daniel Plan Part A","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"March 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Daniel Plan \/ The Group Factor (Community) Sermon Scripture Readings: First Reading: 1 Corinthians 14: 26, 30-31 (MES) Sermon Scripture Readings: Romans 12:5b (NLT) Colossians 2: 6-7 (ESV) Genesis 2:18\u00a0(NLT) Hebrews 10:25\u00a0(TEV) Ephesians 4:16 (NLT) 1 Peter 4:9 (TEV) Ephesians 2:10\u00a0(NCV) Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NCV) Galatians 6:10\u00a0(MSG) For an audio only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Change&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Change","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/change\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/8AtU_qdHPYs\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1443,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/11\/22\/christ-the-king-like-no-other-king\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":4},"title":"Christ the King &#8211; Like No Other King","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"November 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 https:\/\/youtu.be\/hLBns_5G_V0 Audio Version Sunday, November 22, 2015 After Pentecost Proper 29 Year B Old Testament\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Daniel 7:9\u201310, 13\u201314 New Testament \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Revelation 1:4b\u20138 Gospel\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0John 18:33\u201337[1] Like many Sundays, it seems like there is little to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/hLBns_5G_V0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1926,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/10\/16\/are-we-open-to-transformation\/","url_meta":{"origin":1383,"position":5},"title":"Are We Open To Transformation?","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"October 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, October 1, 2017 After\u00a0Pentecost Proper 21 Year A New Testament Philippians 2:1\u201313 Gospel Matthew 21:23\u201332 Click here for the audio only version. https:\/\/youtu.be\/bN0HgEZC6PU \u00a0 Make sure you read or listen to Last Weeks sermon, to tie this to this one. Keep in mind, the text below was a guide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Acceptance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Acceptance","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/acceptance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/bN0HgEZC6PU\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1383"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1393,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1383\/revisions\/1393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}