Finding God in All Things Rich Nathan October 22 & 23, 2016 The Journey of Faith Genesis 14 About two decades ago, a Christian author named Gary Thomas wrote a book titled Sacred Pathways. Sacred Pathways taught that based on people’s personalities, our individual wirings, what Gary Thomas called our “spiritual temperament” we each have different ways to personally experience intimacy with God. So, for example, some Christians are naturalists. They experience God in the out-of-doors. Stephen Van Dop, our Church Extension Pastor, is definitely this kind of person. He frequently tells me that on his day off there’s nothing he likes better than to drive out of the city to hike through the woods where he experiences God. I have a little bit of this in me. If I want to feel close to God, I like to get outside and walk and talk to God. There are people who experience God through tradition. These folks experience intimacy with God through ritual. They love liturgy. They may enjoy praying written prayers. Their homes or offices will often be filled with various sacred objects, beautifully crafted crosses or other Christian symbols that speak to these traditionalists and connect them with God. Some experience intimacy with God through their intellect. They love study. They love to read. They love to learn. They love to search out the answers to challenging questions. Some experience God through the arts: painting, sculpture, music. I wanted to mention on November 19, we’re going to have an art exhibit here at Vineyard Columbus titled “Abraham: A Journey of Faith”. The pieces have been generously loaned to us by John Kohan, the retired Associate Editor and former Moscow Bureau Chief for TIME Magazine, from his Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection of over 2,000 pieces. We’re even going to have an original Mark Chagall on display. If you are a person who experiences intimacy with God through the arts, Holly Messerall, who is an artist in our church, is starting a small group to help artists engage with God with their gifts. To learn more about the group, contact: [email protected] 1 © 2016 Rich Nathan | VineyardColumbus.org Some experience intimacy with God through caregiving. You might say, “You know, when I meet someone who is hurting, when I serve someone who’s hurting – a person who’s sick, a person who’s lonely – I feel close to God.” Gary Thomas lists lots of other pathways to intimacy with God. The point is there’s not one size fits all in terms of our own connection with God. We all have different spiritual temperaments. Another important point is that God is at work in all of life. There was a Christian who lived in the 1500s whose name was Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius’ teaching had a powerful impact on millions of people over the last 500 years. The current Pope, Pope Francis, has been deeply impacted by the teachings of Ignatius of Loyola. I have personally been impacted by Ignatius’ teaching. If you were to try to define the heart of Ignatius of Loyola’s teachings it would be this: Finding God in all things This is a really simple phrase. Finding God in all things. But it means that nothing is considered outside the purview of the spiritual life. Christian spirituality is not confined to the inside of a church building. And it’s not just “spiritual” when we talk about religious topics. Finding God in all things. So often I’ve had a conversation with someone in church who describes an issue in their lives – maybe a work situation, a conflict, an opportunity – and I’ve said to them, “Where is God in this? What do you think God is up to in this situation? In this conflict? In this opportunity?” I’m not trying to put the person on the spot. I’m trying to increase their awareness that God is in this thing, where is he? Frequently, I’ll get the look of a deer caught in the headlights. They might even confess, “My goodness, I never really thought about it that way. I never thought about God being involved in this investment opportunity.” I’ve been doing a series this fall that I’ve titled, “The Journey of Faith”. We’ve exploring the topic of faith as it is incarnated in the life of one man, a man named Abram – better known as Abraham. The reason I’m doing this series is to simply underline for you, week after week, the importance of exercising faith in every part of life, at every stage of life, and in every season of life. Faith is finding God in all things. Today, as we continue in this series, I’ve titled this message “Finding God in All Things”. Let’s Pray. Genesis 14:1-16 2 © 2016 Rich Nathan | VineyardColumbus.org At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar. 8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother[b] of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. Genesis 14:1-16 is about three military campaigns that took place over the course of 14 years. In verses 1-3, we could say that this is round 1. Four eastern kings from Mesopotamia, which would be in modern day Iraq, defeat five western kings in Canaan, the Promised Land, in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. These kings are over city-states. The result of the defeat is found in verse 4. Genesis 14:4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 3 © 2016 Rich Nathan | VineyardColumbus.org This gives rise to round 2 of the military campaign. We find out in verses 5-12, the eastern kings decide to teach the western kings a lesson after the western kings rebel and throw off their rule. So the eastern kings come back and here’s what we read in verses 11-12: Genesis 14:11-12 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. Then in verses 13-16, we have round three. Round three is Abram and men who attached themselves to Abram against the Eastern kings. Here’s what we read in verses 13-16 Genesis 14:13-16 13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother[b] of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. Where is God in all of this? These military campaigns, these battles.