A Life of True Joy

September 13, 2011

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

You don’t need to be a movie connoisseur to know that computer technology has dramatically changed the movie industry in the last twenty-five years. Gone are the cheesy plastic models and claymation figures, replaced instead with stunning computer generated imagery (CGI) that blurs the line between the real and the manufactured. Even animated films have veered away from traditional hand drawings and moved toward eye-popping scenes that look stunningly realistic. I’ll never forget watching Toy Story, Pixar Animation Studios’ first big blockbuster hit in 1995: when I wasn’t laughing at the jokes or enjoying the characters, I was scooping my jaw off the ground at the breathtaking animation.

CAPTURING THE FACE

But even as amazing as CGI can be, it has its limitations. It’s one thing to make cartoon toys look real, but industry experts would say that there is still one thing that computers cannot render realistically: the human face. Try as they might, computer animators have yet to draw a fully expressive, natural looking face. It remains the elusive holy grail of the animation world.

There are a number of reasons for this difficulty. For one thing, it is virtually impossible, even for the most powerful computers and most creative designers, to accurately capture the seamless interplay of the forty-four muscles used by a person to control one’s facial features. Those muscles are capable of creating some 5,000 different expressions, all in fluid, real time. That’s why the human faces in even some of the most stunning animated films still look more plasticized than personalized.

But human expressions are even deeper than muscles and skin. Emotions are not just described by how they are expressed on the surface; they are defined by one’s innermost feelings, responses, and convictions. The human face is beautifully complex, not because of the emotions it can express, but because of the deeply set feelings it can emit. And there’s no computer in the world that can accurately render that.

The great twentieth century French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre took these considerations one step further. He said that a person’s face is not only an accurate reflection of one’s innermost feelings. It can also be, at its best, a reflection of the transcendent. In his essay “The Face,” Sartre wrote,

"If I watch his eyes, I see that they are not fastened in his head, serene like agate marbles. They are being created at each moment by what they look at….If we call transcendence the ability of the mind to pass beyond itself and all other things as well, to escape from itself that it may lose itself elsewhere; then to be a visible transcendence is the meaning of a face."

No wonder the human face has been the holy grail of the CGI industry. There are some expressions that simply cannot be manufactured.


A LIFE OF TRUE JOY

The Apostle Paul may have known this when writing to the church in Philippi about the spiritual attribute of joy. Throughout the four brief chapters that constitute the book of Philippians, Paul describes nearly every dimension of a Christian’s joyful life, separating joy from mere happiness, and encouraging people to live a life that leads to contentment, confidence, and courage. Many have called Philippians the most joyful book in the Bible, and as we use it as our guide over the next two months, you’ll discover for yourself the secrets to the elusive, “holy grail” kind of life that you have been craving. Paul’s lessons on joy will bring to you what no computer animator could ever create: a life of true joy.

And do you want to know the most amazing part of Paul’s writing? He wrote this whole letter – this entire treatise on true joy – from the confines of a dark, dank prison cell. How about that? He was able to describe joy in the most miserable setting imaginable. And right out of the gate, at the outset of the letter, Paul wrote with a gratitude utterly contradictory to his surroundings:

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

Just as Sartre declared that the transcendent can be visible on our faces, Paul proclaimed that Christ is at work in our lives, sanctifying us as individuals and drawing us together in community. And nothing – not even the traumas that befall us on the outside – can prevent Christ’s work from being completed. That’s good news!

That’s the subject of this Sunday’s sermon, the first in our new series, simply titled, “Joy! A Journey through the Bible’s Most Joyful Book.” We’ll begin with a sermon titled, “Why is This Man Smiling?” based on Philippians 1:1-11. I would invite you to prepare for worship by simply reading the four short chapters of Philippians for yourself, and experience the whole of this book’s message for yourself. It is filled with some of the most often memorized and quoted passages in the Bible, and it has the power to show you the kind of joyful life you’ve always wanted to live.

JOY!

A Journey Through the Bible’s Most Joyful Book

“Why is This Man Smiling?”
Philippians 1:1-11
September 18, 2011

“The Choice to Rejoice”
Philippians 1:12-30
September 25, 2011

“Rooted, Grounded, United”
Philippians 2:1-30
(World Communion Sunday)
October 2, 2011

“One Worth Knowing”
Philippians 3:1-11
October 9, 2011

“Soaring in Solidarity”
Philippians 3:12-21
October 16, 2011

Children’s Sabbath
October 23, 2011

“Living a Life of Joy”
Philippians 4:1-23
October 30, 2011

Certainly, this would be a great series for you to invite a friend or family member to experience with you. You and I both know people for whom joy – real, deep, biblical joy – is an elusive gift. Let’s experience that blessing together, and share it with others.

See you Sunday!

Grace, Peace…and Joy!

Magrey

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955

Email: mdevega@cherokeespumc.org
http://www.cherokeespumc.org



PORK FEED!
Yes, it’s that time of year again! Join us after church on Sunday, September 25, for our annual Pork Feed, featuring the delicious flavor-injected pork tenderloins from the Parker family. You are invited to bring side dishes and salads to share, and desserts and beverages will be provided. A free will donation will be accepted, and all of the proceeds will support our building renovation fund.

THIRD-GRADE BIBLES THIS SUNDAY
Join us this Sunday as we celebrate a milestone in the lives of our third-graders. They will receiving their very own Bibles from the church, as a gift from the congregation and as a sign of our support of their continued spiritual maturity. They will also receive a beautiful, handmade, tatted cross bookmark made by Ellen Henderson.

YOUTH KICK-OFF EVENT
Attention, all youth, grades 7-12! We are going to be kicking off a great new year of youth activities with an event after church, September 18. You and your families are encouraged to join us for a time of free food and fun games. We’re looking to have badminton and ping-pong tournaments, and lots of pizza. You’ll also get a copy of the Fall youth schedule and learn about the two new weekly small groups we are offering this fall: one for mid-high and one for senior high! Don’t miss out on the fun!

DISTRICT TRAINING EVENT
Prospective small group leaders are encouraged to attend a training workshop on Small Group Ministry, either on September 23 at Wesley UMC in Sioux City or September 24 at Alta UMC. Registration is $5, and the schedule goes from 9:00 to 4:00pm. Lunch is provided. The event is led by a staff member of Ginghamsburg UMC in Ohio, one of the largest Methodist churches in the country.