Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. "

Prime Timers, a St. Martin's Adult Christian Education (A.C.E.) group, also known as an ABF (Adult Bible Fellowship), is for people in the Prime of Life, age 50 and beyond. Class meets in the Parlor near the Church Offices each Sunday from 10:15am to 11:00. We are following a course of study from the United Council of Churches titled The New Testament Community. You are invited to join our group as we begin a new unit titled "The Way of New Life" based on the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians.

Prime Timers go to Afghanistan!

Thursday, May 7, the Prime Timers had our monthly dinner get-together at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Beck building. We were given a private tour of the Afghanistan Exhibit by Museum docent and Prime Timer Connie Colley! This exhibit is leaving on May 17 so we were very lucky to have this opportunity. Thanks to Lynn Swaffar for the photo!

The Prime Timers June get-together will be at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen on Woodway, June 2, 2009, Tuesday at the usual time 6:30pm. If you would like to attend, let Anne Berry (832-251-8868 or anne.berry@comcast.net) know so we can get a headcount!

Prime Timers Celebrate Good News!

We celebrate our members Good News at Prime Timers with a $1 contribution to Henny Penny, our Good News chicken. Periodically Henny donates the money she collects to a charity, currently the Amistad Mission in Bolivia.  Donn gave thanks for the day! Oakley told us of a grandson graduating High School. Martin mentioned his cousin's daughter being a star in her middle-school production of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Lynn is very happy about how some repairs and landscaping are coming at her house.

New Life in the Home

Donn Fullenweider began our exploration of Paul's letter to the Ephesians by reading the material before our planned reading! Here is Ephesians 5:1-20, from The New International Version Bible:

   ¹Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ²and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

   ³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷Therefore do not be partners with them.

   ⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
     "Wake up, O sleeper,
      rise from the dead,
      and Christ will shine on you."

   ¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. ¹⁸Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These are very strong words, and Donn reminded us of the times in which Paul wrote them. Most of Paul's new converts to Christ had no idea of what was expected of them or how to act. Remember, for instance, that having slaves back then was an accepted part of life, and Paul made sure his converts knew that slaves were to be treated with respect. Keeping differences in mind is important as we headed into our reading, from Ephesians 5:21--6:4, when Paul tells his converts to "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." In the very next verse Paul tells women to submit to their husbands. Donn made us stop for a moment to remind us that the meaning of submit in this case is more in the line of a military man submitting to his superiors orders than submission in the sense of being inferior.

Submitting to your husband is a Bible passage that's been misused, and Donn asked the ladies in the group if they had any feelings about this and of course they did! The position of women in society is dramatically different today in civilized countries, and Donn wanted to make sure we knew that Paul's writings are not backward in this sense. He used Gary Wills book "What Paul Meant" to make this point. Wills, at the beginning of chapter 5, titled "Paul and Women" cites this from Galatians 3:26-28  "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

A class member told of hearing Della Reese mention on one of the afternoon talk shows how she was "married to a psychopath" and how she overcame this and the problems of being black in the middle of the last century. Another member felt that when both parties to a marriage treat the other as equals, this is the basis for happiness. Someone else cited working together as a good basis. With some of our class members being part of fifty year plus marriages they must be doing something right!

Then we heard examples of how the Bible can be misused. Someone mentioned the Texas polygamist sect from last year out in West Texas. How the women there looked like "Stepford Wives;" all dressed alike and submissive. The Mormon Church places men solidly as the head of a household. Donn's law practice sees evidence of rampant spousal abuse. The internet makes the whole world available to most anyone along with the wonder of teenagers and pornography. Children are exposed to the world way faster than we would like, is it any wonder that forty percent (40%!!!) of children are born out of wedlock. All of this is a reminder of how self-centered people can become:  it's all about me. We spoil our children. Do they really need three cell phones? Carol summed this up by saying when children, or co-workers, start moaning and groaning about their problems maybe someone should send them home and tell them to read the Bible!!!

So what can we do to encourage good family relationships? We all believe in setting a good example. How can you tell children not to use drugs if you are getting drunk every night? Children are amazing observers but sometimes not very good interpreters. It must be traumatic for a child to be in the middle of a divorce, and if later on in life the child ends up in an equally unhappy relationship it simply compounds the tragedy. When situations spin so sadly out of control the only example being set is failure.

Oakley was in the Marines forty years ago. He saw examples of incredible change. Boys who came into the Corp. and changed the way they talked, the way they dressed and took care of themselves, the way they stood, etc. Of course young men need to be ready for something like this change, but it gives you hope that people can in fact be transformed. Jesus, after all, is waiting for when people are ready for a spiritual transformation. If there is a common thread through the centuries it's that the younger generation is "going to hell in a hand basket." There is no certainty except change, so look for the positive threads and go with them!

Donn concluded class with this benediction:  Give us new hearts filled with your Spirit, O Lord, that we may live as new creations in Christ. Amen.

The Lesson for Sunday, May 31st,  is "Equipped for New Life"

Key Verses:  Ephesians 6:13

Focus of the Lesson: Life is challenging because competing voices beckon us to follow different paths. How can we stand firm in the face of opposition to what we believe? Paul teaches that God arms us to fight spiritual battles.

The reading is Ephesians 6:10-18. This text is from the New International Version. (NIV)

   ¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

NIV