11/26 Sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:11-17. A building of straw is listed in the pastor's bullet points under II. Wasted Life. However, I must have dozed of during the sermon as I don't remember what he said. I would be curious to find the recording to relisten, but it would seem like his take is very similar to mine, even though I had a hard time imagining him putting too much emphasis on the negativity of the quality of straws.
On Sunday School: Predestination is the main topic. Some (John S.) rightly understood the problem one would have with predestination is about free will, or at least he mentioned free will being a problem, I'm not sure how he takes it himself. Arminians basically raised human free will to an erroneous point after the fall. Would like to revisit Frank Turek's take on Romans 9:18...He has mercy on whom He wills, whom He wills He hardens.
12/3 Sermon on 1Corinthians 3:18-4:5
1Cor 4:5 On Ignore the judgment of people, I see Calvin has a better take: Not every kind of judgment, but hasty and rash without examination of the case.
On Sunday School:
On antinomianism: I think the session was a shallow treatment of it, basically: yes sin is bad, but also don't worry about it. Nick's carpet lumps analogy was similar case: lumps are bad, but enjoy the greater beauty of the house. I would respond: Yes, feel bad and clean them, but don't be anxious. In fact, enjoy cleaning it for the hope of the outcome.
Fortunately, Rob concluded using RC Sproul's (Tim Keller's favorite focus as well): After knowing God/the Gospel -> We love obeying the law (Active, not passive treatment of the law). This is a better take than the passive shallow type: Breaking law is bad, obey it probably out of fear, rather than love, or no emphasis on loving the law as it may seem too negative.
Stephen Tong's response would be better as well: Treat yourself with God's righteousness; treat others with God's grace.
The following week's Sunday School's going to be on Purgatory and praying for the dead, which is fun. I did a little research on the Catholic's site regarding these and also on relics veneration (Jerome is really into it, even wrote a letter against Vigilantius on behalf of Riparius, to make his case).