Sacramental Life

by Desilva, David A.

• ISBN13: 9780830835188
• ISBN10: 0830835180
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-07-01
• Publisher: Ivp Books

Summary

What happens when old meets new?As David deSilva has experienced the ancient wisdom of the Book of Common Prayer, he's been formed spiritually in deep and lasting ways. In these pages, he offers you a brand new way to use the Book of Common Prayer, that you too might experience new growth, new intimacy with God and a new lens through which to view the world.Focusing on the four sacramental rites of baptism, Eucharist, marriage and burial, deSilva explores each one in depth through the prayers, liturgies and Scripture readings of the Book of Common Prayer, and then adds his own devotional exercises that help you immediately apply what you've reflected on. As you read and contemplate the material, you may notice old habits, wrong beliefs and negative patterns being replaced with new desires and perspectives that help you draw ever closer to God.In this innovative and engaging resource David deSilva invites you in to a new way of being spiritually formed through an old book that has shaped thousands of disciples through the years. "I hope that, as you read and pray through this guide," he writes, "you will discover afresh the ways in which the rites contained in the Book of Common Prayer facilitate a genuine encounter with God, and a transforming experience of grace."

Author Biography

David A. deSilva is Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 9
Introduction	p. 11
Baptism: Walking in Newness of Life
Christian Life as Baptismal Life	p. 21
The Forgiveness of Sins	p. 25
New Birth, New Life	p. 28
Union with Christ	p. 33
A New Exodus	p. 38
We Renounce All That Is Not from God	p. 41
We Reach Out for All That Is from God	p. 50
We Journey Together Toward Christlikeness	p. 55
We Promise to Live Out Our Baptism in "Real Life"	p. 60
A Sevenfold Prayer for the Baptismal Life	p. 68
Holy Eucharist: Nourishment for the New Life
Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist	p. 77
Remembering	p. 81
The Host Who Is the Feast	p. 84
A Family Meal	p. 87
An Appetizer	p. 90
Self-Examination and Confession	p. 95
The Confession of Sin	p. 100
Solidarity in Sin, Solidarity in Forgiveness	p. 109
Prayer and Intercession	p. 113
The Collects of the Day	p. 118
Prayers of the People	p. 124
The Lord's Prayer	p. 135
Adoration	p. 143
Idolatry, Then and Now	p. 151
What Gift Shall We Bring?	p. 156
Through the Open Door	p. 160
Shaped by the Story of God's Self-Giving	p. 167
The Nicene Creed	p. 172
The Great Thanksgiving	p. 180
Send Us Out	p. 188
Christian Marriage: Partnership for the New Life
Marriage Made in Heaven	p. 195
Made to Reflect God's Love for His People	p. 200
Made Within Community, Made for Mission	p. 207
Bringing the "New Person" to the Marriage	p. 212
Bringing God to the Marriage	p. 219
Christian Burial: The Gate of Eternal Life
Facing Death As a People of Hope	p. 225
In the Shelter of the Most High	p. 231
Growing Through Grief	p. 235
Reminders of Our Mortality	p. 239
Some Dead Ends	p. 244
Smashing Down the Wall	p. 248
Living Like You'll Live Forever	p. 252
Affirmation Worth Seeking	p. 256
Freed for Costly Discipleship	p. 260
Dying As Those Who Go Forth to Live	p. 264
The Apostles' Creed	p. 267
The Nicene Creed	p. 268
Notes	p. 270
Index of References	p. 285
Scripture Index	p. 287
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