6:8 Church

In part 2 of this sermon, we cover a lot of important aspects of misinformation as it is happening in the world around us today. We talk about the way politicians use misinformation against us, we talk about metanarratives and how they are employed on a consistent basis, and yes we even talk about social media. Make sure you check out part 1 of this sermon as well!

As a fallen individual, I recognize my tendency to be susceptible to mistruths. As someone who has been set free from mistruths by Christ, I am committed to a lifelong pursuit of God's truth in all of life. When that truth lines up with my preconceived notions of right and wrong, I will not use that as an excuse to stop seeking. When that truth confronts my preexisting beliefs, I will seek guidance from others more knowledgeable than myself. If I discover that I am truly wrong, I will adapt my beliefs to the truth and resist the temptation to manipulate the truth to fit into my narrative. My devotion is not to the metanarrative of my party or of society, my devotion is to the true metanarrative of Scripture, God's story that He has been writing for all of Human History. I will intentionally seek to see what I don't currently see.

In part 4 of our Purple faith series, we get into the first agreement we need to make if we are going to have a faith that unites. Pastor David builds a solid biblical foundation for the image of God and helps to lay out some really practical advice for putting this principle into action in our day-to-day interactions with others. 

To be someone who has a faith that unites may require that we sometimes have longer conversations with people who think differently than we do. The problem with that is, at a time when we need to have longer conversations is also the time when we are spending the least amount of time in human history eating meals together. Maybe we need to think about that too. 

If we're going to be people of purple faith, we have to know what we mean by that right? What does it mean to be purple? Do we mean that everyone should compromise on their beliefs and values? Should we compromise on the truth? What is purple faith? 

The world is more divided now than it has been in any of our lives. In fact, we may be more divided than during the Cival war. And it's not getting any better. With 2022 being another election year, as Christians, we have to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead, which may mean we have to think differently than we have up until this point. 

In part one of our new series, Purple Faith, we take a look at a religious group called Lemniscatianity. Carey Nieuwhof once said: "We live in the era of strongly held, poorly formed beliefs." The arrogance that comes with these strongly held, but poorly formed beliefs is staggering. The challenge isn't just with our arrogance, but also with the metanarratives that are swirling about our society as well. What do we do? 

Luke 24:50-53

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Luke 24:13-24

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

Today we are bringing you something a little different. It's a retelling of the life of Jesus from the perspective of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph is one of those characters that we don't know much about, but we know that he was a disciple of Jesus even though he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the group responsible for his death. We invite you to listen to part 1 of "We Thought". 

Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.