Nurture in Time and Eternity

by Robert Cummings Neville

Overview

The dimension of eternity has been lost from much contemporary religious consciousness. Liberals tend to focus on action within time, as do conservatives, who see history as a battleground for a war of good against evil. Spiritual life, however, also requires nurturing a sense of eternity within time. These sermons from Marsh Chapel at Boston University follow the lectionary in highlighting the places of temporal life within eternity, and the places eternity is found in temporal life. The liturgical year is employed as the venue for articulating a comprehensive theology on the themes of the temporal and eternal aspects of Christian nurture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498286220
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	07/04/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	232
File size:	864 KB

About the Author

Robert Cummings Neville is Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Boston University and dean emeritus of the Boston University School of Theology. He is the author of Ultimates (2013), Existence (2014), and Religion (2015)--a series on philosophical theology. His previous books of sermons are Preaching the Gospel without Easy Answers (2005) and The God Who Beckons (1999).

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 The Deepest Contradiction: Romans 7:11 25a; Matthew 11:11-19, 21-30 1

2 Heaven in Earth: Genesis 29:11-28; Romans 8:21-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 41-52 7

3 Wrestle till the Break of Day: Genesis 32:21-31; Romans 9:1- 5; Matthew 14:11 21 13

4 Who Was Jesus?: Genesis 45:1 -5; Romans 11:1-2a, 21-32; Matthew 15:(11-20) 21-28 20

5 A Living Sacrifice: Exodus 1:1- 2:10; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:11-20 27

6 Investment: Exodus 12:1-14: Romans 13:1-14; Matthew 18:11 20 34

7 Tolerance and Forgiveness: Exodus 14:11-31; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35 39

8 The Arbitrariness of Grace: Exodus 16:1-15; Philippians 1:21 30; Matthew 20:1-16 45

9 Face-to-Face with God: Exodus 33:11-23; 1 Thessalonians 1:1- 10; Matthew 22:11-22; Luke 1:41-55 49

10 The Great Commandment: Deuteronomy 34:1 12; 1 Thessalonians 2:1 8; Matthew 22:31-46 55

11 Hypocrisy and Humility: Joshua 3:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13; Matthew 23:1-12 60

12 Wakefulness and Different Talents: Judges 4:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:1 -11; Matthew 25:11-30 65

13 The Day of the Lord: Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:1 15a; Mark 1:1-8 70

14 God with Us: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Romans 16:21-27, Luke 1-21-38, 41-55 76

15 The Word Became Flesh: Isaiah 52:1-10: Hebrews 1:1-4 (1-12); John 1:1-14 81

16 A Time for Everything: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Revelation 21:1- 6a; Matthew 25:31 46 87

17 God Calls: 1 Samuel 3:1-10; First Corinthians 6:11-20; John 141 51 93

18 Call to Ministry: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:21- 31; Mark 1:11 -20 99

19 Authority Now and in the Old Times: Deuteronomy 18:1 -20; 1 Corinthians 8:1 13; Mark 1:21-28 105

20 Healing, Praying, Preaching: Isaiah 40:21- 31;1 Corinthians 9:11 23; Mark 1:21-39 111

21 Witness: 2 Kings 5:1-14:1 Corinthians 9:21- 27: Mark 1:1 45 116

22 Transformation to See God: 2 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Mark 9:1-9 122

23 Hypocrisy and Piety: Joel 2:1 2, 11 17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 11-21 128

24 Baptism: Genesis 9:1- 17; 1 Peter 3:11-22, Mark 1:1 -15 131

25 Money: Exodus 20.1 17; 1 Corinthians 1:11-25; John 2:11-22 136

26 Sickness: Numbers 21-1-9; Ephesians 2:1 16; John 3:11-21 141

27 Religions: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:1-10; John 12:21 23 147

28 Politics: Isaiah 50:1 9a; Philippians 2:1-11; Mark 11:1 11 151

29 Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit 156

30 Fear: Mark 16:1 -8 158

31 Do Not Hold Me: Acts 10:31-43; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18 163

32 Touch and Light: Acts 4:31-35;1 John 1:1 -2:2; John 20:11-31 168

33 Beginnings and Endings, Wisdom and Choice: Deuteronomy 30:19: Ecclesiastes 7:1 14; James 3:13 174

34 Homily for Simon Parker's Funeral: Psalm 110:1; First Corinthians 15:2 1 -58 177

35 The New Commandment: Love One Another: Acts 10:41-48; First John 5:1-6; John 15:1-17 182

36 Jesus Leaving: Acts 1:1-11: Ephesians 1:11-23; Luke 24:41- 53 188

37 Spirit Coming: Acts 2:1 -21: Romans 8:21-27; John 15:21-27; 16:4b-15 194

38 To Be Born Again: Isaiah 6:1-8; Romans 8:11- 17; John 3:1-17 199

39 To Grow: I Samuel 15:31-16:13 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (11-13), 11-17, Mark 4:21-34 205

40 To Face Life: 1 Samuel 17:31-49; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13: Mark 4:31-41 211

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Robert Cummings Neville's Nurture in Time and Eternity is a gem. Neville is a theologian of depth with a heart for preaching and it shows throughout this rich sermon collection. He demonstrates what a sermon in the tradition of the University Chapel can be and invites hearers more deeply into faith and engagement without requiring them to check their intellects at the church door."
—David Schnasa Jacobsen, Professor of the Practice of Homiletics; Director of the Homiletical Theology Project, Boston University School of Theology

"Part artistic inspiration and part personal revelation, Neville speaks to us here as nowhere else. His thought expands in the presence of Scripture and contemporary events. Still the timelessness of the message holds the center. Devotional practitioners of the other axiological faiths will find in these offerings an unexpected revelation, where the Good, the Beautiful, and the True find their common ground, to the increase of all and the diminishment of none."
—Randall Auxier, Professor of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

"Robert Neville's sermons are both intellectually compelling and spiritually edifying. This book is an extraordinary achievement, a rare and precious gift for readers. Not since Paul Tillich's The New Being and The Shaking of the Foundations has philosophical theology of the highest order found such perfect embodiment in homiletic form."
—Michael L. Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies, E. W. Fairchild Professor of American Studies, Lehigh University

"Meditations that open the mind, expand the imagination, and rejoice the heart. With these sermons Robert Neville has provided a trove of amazing prisms. They provoke the reader to plumb the riches of the Christian Gospel while confronting the most profound questions of contemporary living. A book no one is likely to forget." 
—William M. Sullivan, Senior Scholar at the New American Colleges and Universities; author of Work and Integrity, and coauthor of Habits of the Heart

Editorial Reviews

"Robert Cummings Neville's Nurture in Time and Eternity is a gem. Neville is a theologian of depth with a heart for preaching and it shows throughout this rich sermon collection. He demonstrates what a sermon in the tradition of the University Chapel can be and invites hearers more deeply into faith and engagement without requiring them to check their intellects at the church door."
—David Schnasa Jacobsen, Professor of the Practice of Homiletics; Director of the Homiletical Theology Project, Boston University School of Theology

"Part artistic inspiration and part personal revelation, Neville speaks to us here as nowhere else. His thought expands in the presence of Scripture and contemporary events. Still the timelessness of the message holds the center. Devotional practitioners of the other axiological faiths will find in these offerings an unexpected revelation, where the Good, the Beautiful, and the True find their common ground, to the increase of all and the diminishment of none."
—Randall Auxier, Professor of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

"Robert Neville's sermons are both intellectually compelling and spiritually edifying. This book is an extraordinary achievement, a rare and precious gift for readers. Not since Paul Tillich's The New Being and The Shaking of the Foundations has philosophical theology of the highest order found such perfect embodiment in homiletic form."
—Michael L. Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies, E. W. Fairchild Professor of American Studies, Lehigh University

"Meditations that open the mind, expand the imagination, and rejoice the heart. With these sermons Robert Neville has provided a trove of amazing prisms. They provoke the reader to plumb the riches of the Christian Gospel while confronting the most profound questions of contemporary living. A book no one is likely to forget." 
—William M. Sullivan, Senior Scholar at the New American Colleges and Universities; author of Work and Integrity, and coauthor of Habits of the Heart

From the Publisher