The church of Christ on McDermott Road

Continuing to describe the “new self,” Paul teaches us that we should not let any “corrupting talk” come out of our mouths. What is corrupting talk? Do you ever reflect on whether or not you are speaking words of corruption? By contrast, Paul says every word we speak should be “good for building up” and “give grace to those who hear.” Living as the new self means recognizing that our words can and should be conduits of grace. (Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32)

The Christian view of marriage was unique in the ancient world. It challenged many of the preconceived ideas and practices in that culture. Today, it remains a unique view and continues to challenge preconceived ideas and practices. Christian marriage is not simply a way to pursue personal happiness and fulfillment, but is a sacred way of honoring God and embodying the Gospel.

Paul says that that the “new self” is marked by putting away falsehood and speaking truth. He says the reason for choosing to speak truth is that, “we are members one of another.” Living the new life means reflecting on how we are connected to other people. It also means reflecting on how our words affect the people with whom we are connected. How might our perception of truth and falsehood change if we really considered ourselves to be members of one another? (Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32)

Both Jesus and Paul were single men and both made a compelling case for why others might also choose to remain single for the sake of the kingdom. Unmarried Christians are uniquely qualified to focus on a wide-range of relationships and ministries, as well as testify against  our generation’s idolatry of romance and sex.

On the Sunday afternoon that Jesus was raised from the dead, he spent quite a lot of time with two disciples (about whom we know almost nothing). These disciples were sad, confused, and unaware of Jesus’ true identity. He walked and talked with them. He reasoned from the Scriptures about the resurrection of the Messiah. Their hearts burned within them, but they still didn’t know that the one to whom they were speaking was Jesus. Finally, at dinner, their eyes were opened and they realized it was Jesus. What can we learn from this strange encounter? Why did Luke include it in his account and how might it lead to spiritual transformation in us? (Luke 24:13-27)

Scripture gives us a high view of sex. God created sex. Sex is good, but it is not a god. When we make sex a god, as our culture has done, we become enslaved by this idolatry. On the other hand, when we appreciate sex as one aspect of God’s good creation, it can be an avenue through which we see the goodness of God.

One of the most important areas of reflection is our own mortality. Unfortunately, this area of reflection is largely discouraged and frowned upon in our culture. Discussion of death is considered morbid. So, we tend to push death as far away from ourselves as possible. However, the book of Ecclesiastes tells that attending funerals and thinking soberly about death will make us wise. If we want to experience spiritual transformation, we must reflect on death and our own mortality. (Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:1-4)

As Jesus was ministering to a whole crowd of people, he was interrupted by a religious leader who had a very sick daughter. Jesus welcomed this interruption and accompanied the man to his home. As he was on his way, Jesus was again interrupted by a woman who was also very sick. Once again, Jesus welcomed the interruption. When our busy routines are interrupted, do we get frustrated or do we welcome the opportunity to allow God’s blessings flow through us to others? (Scripture: Luke 8:43-48)

How we perceive ourselves and how we believe we should express ourselves is often at the heart of various understandings about sexuality. As Christians, what is our identity? Are we being inauthentic or hypocritical if our outward behavior conflicts with our feelings and desires?

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought that he violated and dishonored the Sabbath. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus had an even higher regard for the Sabbath than the Pharisees. Jesus understood and truly honored the Sabbath, because he is lord of the Sabbath. He understood that the Sabbath was FOR man. It was a day for man to be refreshed and restored. It was a day for taking care of one another and doing good. Though Gentile Christians were never commanded to keep the Sabbath, we would be wise to acknowledge our need for regular rhythms of refreshing in our lives. (Scripture: Luke 6:1-10)