JOHN PIPER-TO THE JEW FIRST AND ALSO TO THE GREEK

The major problem with this sermon is you can't properly interpret this phrase in Romans 1 16 if you don't know who the Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) were.

The word Jew here means "of the tribe of Judah." The word Greek denotes the Gentiles. Gentiles means "nations", or the ten lost tribes of Israel to whom Paul wrote this epistle.

The verse quoted by Piper referring to being grafted into the olive tree can thus be explained in the following way. In Isaiah 5 God refers to the children of Israel who had gone astray as "wild grapes." Thus, letting the Bible interpret itself, we can infer that the wild olives spoken of later on in Romans refers to the members of the ten lost tribes of Israel. These people were cut off many centuries before Christ, but were then grafted into the olive tree of the tribe of Judah and were once again fed by the root of the Abrahamic covenant.

"Any Jew-haters in this room, you are in big trouble."

Except for the fact the people we call Jews today aren't the Jews spoken of in the passage we're studying.

"Whenever we go into a new area we should have our flags up seeking "Are there any Jews here?"

See my above point.

Question 2, Point 3: The verse that talks about the Gentiles being separated from the Messiah refers to the ten tribes of Israel. They were cut off and taken away from the land of Israel, thus missing out on the coming of the Messiah to that land. The rest of the passage should be interpreted with this in mind.

Of course, to a certain extent these verses also speak of Jesus making all the peoples of the world one in His salvation.

REPLY AWL

The Winter 2012 Travel issue of Canadian Geographic is an all-round good example of fascinating travel writing, from birdwatching in Texas to alligator watching in Florida.

I enjoyed the profiles of many of the female entrepreneurs featured in the November issue of Chatalaine. It's cool Canadian women are heading up companies to clean up toxic sites and offer environmentally-friendly cleaners and the like.

ISAIAH CHAPTER 5-CHAPTER 12

Isaiah 5 18-19: This passage isn't talking about cynicism. Rather, it is talking about people who have a fascination for and a love of sin. They can't wait to hear about the latest sinful thing the council of Israel has done. Too often, we as Christians, and I would include myself in this, are guilty of the same thing.

Read Isaiah Chapters 5-12, all the way through. It is a microcism of the story of God's people. God created this people to flourish, but they sinned. God judged them, but was also merciful, sending His son. When Jesus returns the second time, He will finish the judgment.

SONG OF SOLOMON 6 4-8 14

7 7-9: These verses show God is no prude, and also that there's nothing wrong with a little dirty talk.

8 1: Speaking of dirty talk. This verse would seem to endorse adult nursing.

8 2: Earlier, the lover compares the beloved's cheeks to pieces of pomegranite. However, I don't think this is the body part being referred to here. This verse would seem to endorse licking a woman's genetals.

ORAL ROBERTS, RICHARD ROBERTS AND KENNETH COPELAND-WAKE UP!

I assume this video was made before Richard and Lindsey's embezzlement scandal.

They speak highly of "The Passion of the Christ", despite the numerous ways it is inaccurate to Scripture.

The three men of course speak about the pretribulation rapture, even though there's no Biblical proof for it.

Noah's arc wasn't a boat; it was more like a huge floating building.

There were the three classifications of people spoken of in 1 Corinthians 11 in Paul's day because the Gospel first had to go to those who were under the law. However, these days there is only the saved and the unsaved.

2004 was the year of the fullness of callings? This despite the fact God is still calling people to different positions in the church eight years on.

Eight years on as well, we're still waiting for that sign that was promised.

Acts 2 17 and following are misapplied to today when they are talking about events related to the day of Pentecost.

The Bible never says to receive Jesus as your Saviour. For the true Biblical plan of salvation, see Acts 2 38. At least they had people repent; I'll have to give Messrs Roberts and Copeland that.

The 2004 election was a spiritual battle? Bush, the supposed Christian was re-elected and nothing was done about same sex marriage, abortion or anything else.

America is the peacemaker?; as they're going into all these countries around the world, participating in all these wars.

"... this will open Iraq for the Gospel."

Eight years on and Iraq hasn't been opened to the Gospel to my knowledge. Also, it is worth noting that "that serial killer Saddam Husain" allowed Christianity in his country.

REPLY AWL

The November 5 issue of Maclean's has an article about elementary schools in Ontario and their increased focus on teaching social justice. Social justice themes are woven into classes, even extending to the subjects of math and science.

This has been happening for years. I can remember novel studies that focused on slavery or the holocaust. Additionally, schools in North America have had social themes extended to all subjects for years as well. I can remember a column in an American newspaper about fifteen years ago written by a woman who mentioned her daughter's math textbook focused on social themes.

When these kids get to the stage where they start questioning authority and go through that time in their lives where they don't like their teachers or parents, aren't there going to be children who rebel against all this social justice teaching and become the most selfish uncaring people you've ever seen?

Incidentally, regarding the guy who works for the Toronto District Schoolboard and his plans to raise his child Storm gender neutral: it should be easy to do this, right up till the kid hits puberty.

Actually, this man's plans may backfire even sooner. I remember an article in Maclean's several years ago where a husband and wife tried to raise their sons gender neutral but by age two the twins were exhibiting the typical male traits.

There is an article in the same issue about how restaurants in Italy are accepting barter as payment for meals. That can work to a point. You can trade meals for things your restaurant needs, but if you need something really big that none of your customers has and you aren't taking in enough cash to pay that large expense, you're screwed. You can't really barter where things like utilities are concerned, for instance.

REPLY AWL

The October 29 issue of Maclean's contains an article about all the federal government advertising that's on TV. The only way the television and radio industry are keeping going in the face of technology and people not tuning into them because of their crummy programming has to be all the government PSAs. There isn't any other explanation.

There is an article in this week's edition of the online Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind where a woman talks about sneaking up to touch a harpsichord at a Christmas Eve church service. This article was cool. I admire intestinal fortitude like this.

I also found a letter in the Readers Forum section of the same issue touching. It was written by a woman talking about how she still had some of the baby dolls she used to play with as a child. Like I say, it was a heartwarming letter.

By the way, I also think it's neat when teenage girls still play with dolls. Some preservation of innocence in these horrific times.