Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, June 17, 2018 Godliness Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, June 17, 2018

2 Peter 1: 5-7 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 

Godliness--Eusebeia Reverence, piety From the word that it translates from Hebrew (yirah) and from classical Greek writing, it relates to fear Over time, it develops into the word for “God-fearing” When sebeia is modified by “eu” it becomes the right kind of worship, the right kind of living It actually designates restraint as too much worship can lead people astray

One part of Greek Mythology Law (Nomos) marries Eusebeia and their daughter is Justice or Righteousness (Dike) What is the thing that, added to “law”, produces the right quality of devotion to God and right living?

Dharma No one word in English does this concept justice; however, eusebeia was the word that was chosen by Ashoka, an Indian emperor who promoted the spread of Buddhism about 250 years before Jesus, when he translated dharma into Greek Dharma has to do with “cosmic law” or with the teaching of the Buddha The word itself relates to “strength” and “standing firm” Reading from Pema Chodron’s Comfortable with Uncertainty, p. 31

The Missing Element By trying to Journey forward into pleasing God, we become like God So what is God like becomes the great question . . .

Godliness Life’s compass Being afraid of the right thing Setting the course for your energy and resources and activities Sticking to it until the God of the Journey begins to reproduce Himself in you

Jeremiah 23:23-24 23“Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord, “And not a God far off? 24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.

Synthesis: God is helper When someone comes to you for help, you must be like God, both above and within the situation Above, in that you have something to offer Within, in that you “touch the ground” with the one in need

Wrong and Right Images of God Santa Claus Doting Grandfather Zeus God actually seems to come to us as Christ does, in weakness, working through consent, not control

How Does God Help? Out of silence From Above: as we fix our eyes on God and learn to trust our stress is decreased and our health increases From Below: gently, gradually, with the implantation of courage and faith increasing, we start to believe we are not alone and hope grows Through community

How do we help? Stages of ministry in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together