The Spreading Circle

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray preached from Psalm 67, a seven-verse psalm he called "the spreading circle." He traced its connection backward to the Aaronic blessing in Numbers and to God's promise to Abraham, and forward to the New Testament and the missionary call of the church. The sermon's central question was why God blesses his people, and the answer ran through every verse. Psalm 67 opens with a prayer that...

Read together

1. Psalm 67 primary text of the sermon, read and expounded verse by verse
2. Numbers 6:24-26 the Aaronic blessing, compared to the opening of Psalm 67
3. Genesis 12 God's covenant with Abram, blessing to all families of the earth
4. Galatians 3:6 Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness
5. Galatians 3:11 no one is justified by the law, the righteous shall live by faith
6. Galatians 3 blessing of Abraham coming to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus
7. Revelation 5:9 great multitude from every tribe tongue and nation around the throne
8. Revelation 7:9 great multitude from every tribe tongue and nation singing holy holy holy
9. Romans 1:16-17 not ashamed of the gospel, righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith

Talk about it

1. Pastor Carl described the Aaronic blessing from Numbers as a priest carrying God's blessing to the people. How does knowing that blessing was meant to flow outward, not just rest on the people who received it, change the way you think about the blessings God has given you?
2. Ray pointed out that the psalmist shifted from the personal name Yahweh to the more formal Elohim, and from 'you' to 'us', drawing a circle that includes others approaching God. What does that movement from the intimate to the inclusive say to you about how God's blessing is supposed to work?
3. The center of Psalm 67 is the call for the nations to be glad and sing for joy because God judges with uprightness and guides the nations. Ray asked whether anyone sitting with the psalm had a 'not them' reaction toward some group of people. What do you think keeps us from genuinely wanting all peoples to praise God?
4. Ray said God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth may fear, meaning revere, him, and then added that the church has sometimes alienated people instead. Where do you think the line is between holding to what we believe and becoming an obstacle to someone coming to Christ?
5. Ray closed with the distinction between 'do as I say, not as I do' being a hypocrite, and 'do as I say, not as I used to do' being a teacher. What would it look like practically in your own neighborhood or household to carry the spreading circle outward by doing, not just telling?