Making bread and cursing

Ok, this is round 3 in trying to write this. The first time someone accidentally deleted it from his computer, the second was deleted by having the computer turned off, however I did not to it, but was assisted by a cute blond who is attracted by green glowing buttons. (no fault of her own I'm still attracted to green glowing buttons and I'm a lot older than 2). Anyway maybe this one will make it through. We're looking at a couple different topics this Sunday,
Lev 24has both some temple instruction as well as laws around blasphemy. The arrangements of the lampstand and bread have only a couple references in the NT. We see some of the talk in
Heb 9:2 as well Jesus makes reference to David eating of bread in the temple I Sam 12 when he is asked about his disciple breaking the Sabbath Matt 12:1-11 (Mk 2, Lk 6)
As for blasphemy we see both Jesus and Stephen receiving the punishment for the blasphemy they were accused for. I will let you leave your comments on the previous post in regards to capital punishment). None the less blasphemy was considered a serious crime both in the OT and NT.
I'm not sure if there is any reason to these sections in this place outside it being arbitrary instruction. Maybe it is to remind the people about keeping the weekly Sabbath reverent after instruction and emphasis on the other feasts. Maybe it is all introduction to Lev 25 commitment to Sabbath and Jubilee. Well I'm interested in you opinion on it.

Last weeks craziness

Sorry I didn't get around to opening the dialogue on capital punishment from Lev 20. Last week was a little pushed for time due to family day and Western Canadian General Assembly. A couple Scriptures to throw around, Matt 15:4 , Mark 7:10, Jn 8:1-11

Sex and Soup Sunday – Pre Valentine warm up

Well I got a lot of neat comments about our teaching 2 weeks ago. I’m not sure if it was because I was a little concerned about how people would take it and everyone is just encouraging me or maybe we just like talking about sex and leading up to Valentines Day we needed a little boost to the libido. Regardless it’s been interesting hearing comments. A quick recap on our discussion, I’m not sure we need a lot of clarification too Lev 18 because I would think most of us would be in agreement even today about it’s restrictions around sex. I don’t think many would be pushing for incest or bestiality to be cultural or Old Cov restrictions. The main Hot point for some today would be the inclusion of Homosexuality in the list and as we know it can even be a little divisive in some Christian circles. But I think if we really take the whole Bible seriously we see the NT affirming and upholding all of Lev 18 boundaries for sex. One of the things at put perspective to the whole chapter was the look at Creation of man and work back from there. It’s interesting all of the press that the Christian world seems to get is it’s restrictions to sex. We are an oppressive and sex deprived group of people. Unfortunately, some of that is true. I’m going to thank St. Augustine for that one. I know I know he had a lot of great things to say, but he started a bit of a move toward sexuality which seemed to set a pattern for the churches stance on sex for quite some time. And yes, it came out more of… ‘well I guess you have to in order to have children, but it’s still bad.” If we start at the beginning of the book we see sexuality affirmed in creation and connected with the image of God. He could have said, “Lets make mankind in our image.” And leave it at that, but the writers included male and female He created them. Passage link
Genesis 1:26-28 To quote Foster “If Gen affirms it, then Song of Solomon celebrates it.” Not a lot of procreation talk going on in that book (sorry my Catholic friends) just a lot of celebration of love. “What a beautiful window Song of Solomon is into eros as it should be! There is sensuality without licentiousness, passion without promiscuity, love without lust.” Richard Foster
Anyway, this should be the starting point of our theology and if we look at other pagan practices around the Hebrews we see what was beautiful and celebrated turned into depraved, just read some of the practices of Egypt, Canaan, Hittite (well actually the Hittite was always caught in the middle, Incest is mostly bad except in these situations… uh nothing with most animal just these ones…) Not surprising, I just read an article in a “secular” magazine that plain old sex, yes “plain old” reduced stress more effetely and sustainable than any extra curricular sex acts (multiple partner or self pleasure). Maybe God was just looking out for our stress levels. Anyway, If we see God coming across as limiting we would probably be in agreement when we see affirming and celebrating of sexuality in Imago Dei, that man and woman were created for each other in relationship, separate and special from all other creation, sharing each other, not created separate from each other, all of that beautiful picture tossed for these pagan practices with family and live stalk? Anyway, this is becoming longer post then what I was wanting, Hook me up with any thoughts as long as they are not of the chica-bow-bow kind.