Winning Words 12/30/11
“Relax sweetheart; it’s just a bend, not the end.” (In a love letter from God) I once read a Bible translation which has Jesus using the jargon of a typical teen-ager. It could be a turn-on or a turn-off for some people. Can you imagine God using words like those in today’s WWs? What’s the difference between them and “Let not your hearts be troubled; neither let them be afraid?” ;-) Jack

FROM SHARIN' SHARON: Sounds like Columbo or Jimmy Cagney or someone in a detective movie. Since it does seem like the devil is busy now-a-days, as always, deceiving, manipulating, lying, cheating and trying to destroy people's reputations and, in general, obstruct God's Will being done, I sort of like the idea of God being a detective and finding out for us who are the bad guys and solving the problem of evil in our world, bringing those bad guys out in the open and to justice. But, as always, each bad person is just a bend; there is always another beyond him/her for another show tomorrow. We might as well relax and enjoy the New Year.////FROM JACK: God can do all kinds of impersonations. Today's WWs reminds me of Humphrey Bogart. But he greatest impersonation of all was becoming a human being.

FROM JS IN MICHIGAN: The difference has to do with the elegance of the language....we don't always have to be elegant in our use of language but it is nice now and then to ascend from the depths!!!////FROM JACK: In Homiletics class we were taught to connect our sermons up with life. We were also taught that there is a time to be "common" and a time to be "elegant" and to know the difference.

FROM YOOPER FLICKA: YOU JUST KEEP GIVING US THINGS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT....TACK SA MYKET !!!////FROM JACK: The quote seemed appropriate for the end of the year when there have been a variety of bends in the road. But, with God's grace we have been able to navigate them...and it will be so in 2012. May it be a good year for you.

FROM CWR IN B'MORE: .....to some God rocks....to others, She's a bore......take your pick.////FROM JACK: The great unknowable becomes known in a human form at Christmas.

FROM JS IN MICHIGAN: Was Art Arnold your teacher? I liked him. I was teaching speech and coaching debate at Augie while I attended seminary and in my senior year Karl Mattson died. Arnold became the Interim President and I taught the Freshman Homiletics class for him. I would agree that there are times for each of the two....common and elegant. I think the elegant belongs more to hymnody and liturgy and the common to sermons but there can be places for each in all of the above. As you know I tend not to be an "either/or" type of person. I do object, however, to the use of the lowest common denominator on a regular basis....something that too often characterizes present day Christian services. I love the hymns llike "Crown Him With Many Crowns" .....'Crown Him the Lord of Years....The Potentate of Time....Creator of the Rolling Spheres.....Ineffably Sublime"....that is great language. Have a great New Year.////FROM JACK: Yes, AA was my preaching prof, and I learned much from him. I learned a lot during my intern year, too. I agree with you that the use of language form should not be either/or. I also believe that the Church should be a teaching Church. But it shouldn't try to teach calculus to those who are just becoming acquainted with fractions.

FROM GOOD SAM FAM: Same destination; different path.////FROM JACK: I can live with religious diversity, because I don't have all of the answers.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: I can imagine God at home with any "jargon", and it is interesting for a change to put his words into present day lingo. Tony Campolo sometimes has entertaining paraphrases of scripture, to make the Bible more palatable to young people. I like the message Bible too, and Psalms Now, and the Gospels NOW, etc. A different phrasing often freshens "old" familiar stories or passages, for me!////FROM JACK: Everything old was once new and different. The King James Bible was thought to be sacrilegious when it first came out. My favorite NT translation is the one by J.B. Phillips

FROM CJL IN OHIO: For one thing, it's understandable....////FROM JACK: I understand your point.

FROM AW IN ILLINOIS: My first thought was that it came from Humphrey Bogart. From God, it is even better.////FROM JACK: To me, it sounds more like Bogie, than it does from God. But the thought is definitely God's.