U-turns Permitted

Today we start a new sermon series on the book of Acts. We focus on the themes of Christian Community (God's Community) living in the midst of Empire. At that time it was the Roman Empire, today it is the empires of our modern world. Click here for a list of primary resources being used.

Today Dan Kim leads us through 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. Christians have freedom of conscience, but knowledge can puff up and lead to pride. Love builds up. Because Jesus loved us to the uttermost on the cross, we can love our brothers and sisters.

On this Easter, after a long "Holy Saturday" year of pandemic lockdown, we read Matthew 28:1-11 and meditate on Jesus' death and resurrection as a sabbath rest and the first day of the new creation, bringing hope to all. We cannot go back to "normal". Everything is now different.

As Holy Week begins, we read from Luke 19 about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. What actually happened that day? And what can we learn from it? Dan Kim leads us.

Today we close the series "God, His Land and His People". We look at the two cities whose stories are told throughout the Bible: Babylon, the city of Empire, the great parasite, sucking the life out of the rural farms and peoples, and Jerusalem, designed to be a source of healing to the nations. And we are challenged to make clear, practical choices in our lives: which city holds our allegiance?

As we near the end of this series, we ask ourselves what it looks like to follow Jesus in our "sick society". The prophet Isaiah speaks of the "Anointed One", sent to proclaim good news to the poor, captive and oppressed, as well as all of creation. Jesus takes that thought up in His very first sermon in Luke 4, and in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 passes on this way of discipleship to us.

Today we take a brief look in outline at the Prophet Jeremiah and his ministry in a time of great distress and crisis on every side. We look at his recognition of the idolatry of God's People, his willingness to feel the loss deeply, and the claim he lays to hope.

Today Dan Kim walks us through the concept of "wise work" as opposed to "sloth". Sloth is an act of commission, surprisingly enough. Sloth is the refusal to act as neighbor and kin to other, including the failure to be responsible toward those who precede and follow us in this world and remaining inactive when action is necessary. The building of the tabernacle in the desert is an example of wise work which unites God, His People and His Land.

Today we look at the prophet Amos, who prophesied during a prosperous time in Israel, but a time that was characterized by economic injustice and wealth inequality, just like today. Amos not only pronounces the judgment of God, he foresees that even Nature itself will rise up against those who misuse and abuse God's people and His Land.

Today we look at 1 Kings 21:1-29, the story of King Ahab and Naboth. This story is often used to admonish us not to be greedy or pout if we don't get our way. As laudable as that admonishment is, that is not what this story is about. It's about Empire grabbing and exploiting land. Ahab did it, and the culture which we come from, the Western Culture, has been doing it for centuries also. Click here for the whole article on Sub Saharan Africa mentioned and read from in the sermon. And click here for the article on the Anathoth Community Garden.