January 28, 2017 - Church at Worship

Sermon: “God of Mystery and History" by Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Otis Coutsoumpos

Scripture Reading: Daniel 2:44-47, TNIV read by Scott Campbell, and Lolita Campbell

Baptism: Jolyric Xvinz Cruzado, and Aya Kristin Miyajima

Sermon Notes:

  I found the following adapted excerpt from Frank Partnoy’s book to be of real interest. 

Harvard psychologist and researcher Daniel Gilbert opens his best-selling book Stumbling on Happiness with what he calls “The Sentence.” “The Sentence” begins with these seven words: “The human is the only animal that ….” Gilbert argues that every professor needs to finish that sentence. 

How did Gilbert finish The Sentence? What is the defining feature of our humanity? Gilbert is a secular psychologist, but his answer is insightful. He said: 

The human being is the only animal that thinks about the future …. [Human beings] think about the future in a way that no other animal can, does, or ever has, and this simple … ordinary act is the defining feature of our humanity. The average adult spends 12 percent of the day thinking about the future, roughly one of every eight hours. We can imagine events years into the future…. If more than several minutes are involved, no animal can keep up with us. (Adapted from Frank Partnoy, Wait: The Art and Science of Delay, pp. 120-123). 

I believe Partnoy and Gilbert are right about the way we humans think about the future. In fact, from time immemorial, human beings have wanted to know the mystery of what the future holds. Most religions, including ancient religions, have included some element of their religion that tries to figure out what the future holds. 

Christianity is no exception. We read the Bible— including the book of Daniel—with an eye toward the future. Today’s passage has something very important to tell us along these lines. Join me as we continue our study with Daniel 2. 

Randy Roberts, senior pastor