Motives mold us and the practice of secrecy can refine our motives and prevent us from becoming modern Pharisees who only care about appearing whitewashed. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount refines the practices of giving, praying, and fasting toward secrecy to prevent the destructiveness of only outward conformity.

We all feel the increase in the pace of life. With that pace we have the ability to be informed or entertained 24/7. Today there are less margins for waiting and most of us would define cruel and unusual punishment as being bored. Jesus’ life and comments to Martha offer a new narrative about how to live.

Americans have a love hate relationship with rest. The protestant work ethic is weaved into the DNA of our country and while it is a good servant it can become a terrible master. The gift of Sabbath is a means of grace to tame our work to serve us instead of destroy us.

We realize our lives are perfectly designed for the results we are getting and so each New Year we make resolutions for different results. Edgewater’s duty is to teach a lifestyle or a Way that results in Christ being formed in us. Sunday we discussed the difficulty in our culture to forming practices as well as the goal for any spiritual activity for the believer.

Philippians concludes with a brilliant understanding of the place for riches. Paul says the goal isn’t to be rich or poor but to learn to be content. He goes on to say the money is trouble’s kryptonite and can bring about incredible fruit for the giver and for God’s Kingdom.