Several more familiar challenges from the Sermon on the Mount this week. Brian McLaren organizes them around three themes – anxiety, judgment and love. Jesus warns against getting caught up the first two since our lives and our living ought to be grounded in love – love for God, for neighbor, for self. The foundation of this love is God who, in the end, embraces and cares for us as if we were her children. And, come to think of it, we are! What difference might this understanding make to our Lenten journey? What if what we gave up for Lent is anxiety and judgment, so that we might center our lives more fully in the love of God?
In Adult Spiritual Formation we will continue to explore nonviolent resistance, drawing on The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millennium by Walter Wink. Hugh Satterlee has challenged us to place ourselves earlier in the parable of the Good Samaritan. We come upon the robbery in progress. Do we turn our backs, scurrying away? Do we take up sticks and stones and attack the robbers? Or is there a “third way,” a way of nonviolent resistance? Give it some thought and bring your response to class on Sunday.
Come at 10:00 AM and stay for Adult Spiritual Formation. Bring some others along to share the day.
May we continue to grow together as God’s people.
Pastor Rick
TO BE GOD’S PEOPLE! 1 Peter 2:9-10
