Uncomfortable Truth

In the weeks after Pentecost, right up to the first Sunday of Advent, the Revised Common Lectionary focuses on discipleship. What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? What does it mean to be a disciple? Using readings largely from the book of Mark (Year B) interspersed with some from John, the lectionary uses this time of the year to focus on these questions, most often through Jesus words and actions.

Reading these passages, hearing Jesus words, seeing him in action, often leaves us feeling uncomfortable, maybe even convicted.

In this week's reading Mark takes us to two instances where Jesus seems to condone breaking the Sabbath laws. These laws were part of the foundation of the culture of Israel, made them unique in the world and were often rigidly held and enforced. Jesus shows himself to be the king over the Sabbath, shows his anger over the inhuman application of the laws and makes the leaders so uncomfortable that they go away to begin to plot his death.

This Sunday, we'll wonder together about Jesus words and how we too have turned some of our ways of living into something other than discipleship.

Walking In His Steps (GEMS Sunday) Take 2

Back in April, we had to cancel our service because of an ice storm. That Sunday was meant to be a service aimed at celebrating our GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) club focused on their theme for the year "In His Steps". This Sunday we will take up this theme and this celebration again. 

The text that the GEMS have chosen this year, as their theme text, is 1 John 2:6 where John writes that whoever claims to live in him (in Jesus) must live as Jesus did. We might use the analogy of walking through our lives in Jesus footsteps, following the path that he set out in his life. Jesus provides the example to us, but how can we follow it? How does it apply to our lives over 2000 years later? Jesus was holy, he is God can we really walk in his steps?

We'll spend some time with these questions this Sunday morning in a service led by our GEMS.

Out Into the World

Sometimes it's exhausting interacting with the world around us. Everywhere we look we see things that we are sure don't match up with God's plan for a new kingdom.  Politicians say one thing and do another. Poverty continues all around us. We recognize the evils of discrimination and the entitlement that seems to be a part of our society. We see that what passes for justice is not always fair, or right. We also recognize the pain of rejection when we do stand up for the ideals we hold when we stand against wrong when we stand for God and God's kingdom. 

In all of this, it seems that the simplest, easiest path is to withdraw, to move into safe enclaves. Christians have done this for centuries gathering in monasteries,  communal living, retreats, all created to make a space that is unencumbered by the troubles of the world, a quiet and peaceful space without the noise and stresses of the world outside.

Jesus speaks against this isolating tendency in our text for Sunday morning. Jesus prays for God's protection of his disciples not their removal from the world in John 17. Join us this Sunday as we spend some time thinking about what these words mean for us.

Love One Another

Love, love, love. love..... Jesus talks a lot about love, demonstrates love through the way he lived, the way he interacted with those around him. Love is his theme and through his life, Jesus shows who God is, how much God loves his people. 

This week we are going to talk about love, but the passage is not so much about God's love for us as it is about our responsibility for those around us.

"Love one another" Jesus says, "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love. this is my commandment"

Suddenly, it seems that there is a job for me, work for me in my salvation, a command I need to keep. I wonder what happened to grace. I thought it was all about grace and that Jesus had done it all.

We'll struggle with this conflict on Sunday morning, struggle with what this command to love means in the light of Jesus sacrifice for us.

God Seeking Us (Cadet Sunday)

Many times in the Bible, God is described as a shepherd.  Right from the earliest writings of the Hebrew Bible to the end of the New Testament this picture of God as a shepherd is repeated over and over again. 

A shepherd does a lot of things for and with the sheep, provides food and shelter, protection and healing. The shepherd business, focus, is on the wellbeing of the sheep. The sheep don't always seem to know this, don't seem to recognize this love of their shepherd, or maybe they are just dumb, and wander away from the flock. The shepherd goes out to look for these wandering sheep.

That's the picture the Cadets have been looking at over this past year around their theme: God Seeking Us. This Sunday, our boys will be part of the service as we explore the picture of God as our shepherd.

Walking In His Steps (GEMS Sunday)

We all follow something or someone. Our world is filled with voices calling us to follow them. These voices often lead us to a mall or a car dealership or some other retail establishment promising that our lives will only be full if we purchase what they have to offer. These voices bombard us from our TV's, our radios, our computer, and smartphone screens. They are relentless virtually all of them are in some way misleading. They promise more than they actually have to offer, promote happiness and fulfillment when all they really have is a short-term high followed by disappointment as we go out again looking for that one thing that will fill the hole in our lives.

This Sunday is GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Saviour) Sunday. the girls will be involved in our worship and we will spend some time thinking about their theme for the year In His Steps based on the words of 1 John 2:6 where John tells his readers that if they really want to find fulfillment in life they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. 

Join us as we celebrate the work of our GEMS club and learn about the full life available when we walk In His Steps

He is Not Here

This Sunday is Easter Sunday. It's a day when traditionally we rejoice with the women as they bring the good news to the disciples that the tomb is empty. We marvel with Mary as she meets Jesus in the garden. We celebrate Jesus victory over death. 

This year though, as we follow the assigned texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, from the book of Mark, we find ourselves somewhat confused. Yes, the women come to finish the job of preparing Jesus body, yes, the tomb is empty, and yes they receive the message that Jesus has risen and the direction to go and tell the rest of the disciples, but the passage ends abruptly with the womon running away in terror, not telling anyone.

We have to wonder what this means. We have to wonder what Mark is trying to tell us in this abrupt ending if it is, in fact, the end (some theologians feel that part of Mark's manuscript has been lost). We have to wonder how the terror of the women might affect our joy on this day.

This Easter Sunday we will wonder together about how we respond to the empty tomb and the Good News it symbolizes.