Church Staff
   “What Really Matters” was the title of Rev David Diller’s sermon on Matthew 23:34-46.  Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God, which means the Kingdom of Love.   Love in the Bible does not have our mushy romantic sense.   Love means attachment & loyalty to certain people who are “insiders” or “neighbors” in a real or fictional kinship group.   We speak of love similarly when we “love our Cowboys, Rangers or Stars.”  Jesus reversed all social values & exploded this understanding when he said, “Love your enemies,” meaning those outside our “in group.”   With Jesus there is no boundary to love for there are no more “outsiders,” everybody is welcome at Jesus’ table, including “sinners.”  (Luke 15:1-2)   Even the hated Samaritans now become “neighbor.”  (Luke 10:25-37) 
   In Matthew 23:36, a lawyer asks Jesus a trick question to test his view of Scripture.  The plenary inspiration view of Scripture held by religious fundamentalists across the ages rejects any theological valuation or historical appraisal of sources, contexts, or variations within the Bible.   Plenary inspiration holds everything is fully & equally inspired, a flat surface, no passage more important than any other, so to exalt one commandment of the Bible’s 613 is to deny equal inspiration to the rest.    Jesus makes a critical appraisal, finds theological differences, & rejects a fundamentalist reading of the Bible.   What really matters, Jesus says, is reading the Bible correctly by seeing love of God & love of neighbor as the canon within the canon by which to evaluate everything else. 

   Rev Diller is teaching Contemporary Theology, reviewing the history of Israel, the Church, the Bible, & how theological ideas have changed across the centuries & into modern times.  Final classe meets Sat Nov 1at 10 am.
   Payne Springs UMC hosts a Walk to Emmaus reunion every Tue at 5 pm.
   Everyone is welcome at Disciple Bible Study. Our next Monday night class meets Nov 3 at 5:30 pm. Our next day class meets Thur Oct 30 at 3 pm. You do not have to be a church member, just curious and eager to learn about the God who loves us & expects us grow up in our thinking & our living so we live free & responsible lives caring for one another.
   Payne Springs UMC is a caring church family learning to follow Jesus. Our purpose is to help every person grow to full maturity in the image of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century. With open hearts, open minds, and open doors, we combine both traditional & contemporary styles. We invite you to come learn about God and Jesus, the Bible and the Church each week. Sunday school is from 9-10am. At 10am coffee, juice, & snacks are served in Fellowship Hall. Worship is from 10:30-11:30am. Nursery care is provided. Sunday evenings we invite you to an in-depth study of Matthew at 5 pm. If you have questions or need directions, call our church office at (903) 451-2978 or go to www.paynespringsumc.orghttp://www.paynespringsumc.org.
Unfortunately, the Church across the ages has equated “faith” with holding certain beliefs about Tradition, the Creeds, or the Bible rather than getting past the flat surface to what really matters, which is hearing Jesus’ message above all else.