SERMON SNAPSHOT: Sunday, October 4, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ –

The last few weeks our scripture has shuttled us from the First Testament to the New. We leaned into forgiven–ness, then accompanied a petulant Jonah to Nineveh by way of the belly of a God fish, then to Rome where we were urged to look beyond our rotten circumstances to the future, in patience and with hope. And today we find ourselves at Philippi. Paul pastors the people through emissaries and letters. He has learned of shady characters – dogs, evil doers, enemies of the cross – moving in to co-opt the message. They insist that men follow Jewish custom if they wish to be a Christ follower, but Paul says ‘no!’ He gives his Hebrew creds then he qualifies his past. He qualifies the architecture of his identity and renounces anything that may have held him captive and away from his pursuit of purpose, of fulfillment, of life – of Jesus.

We find ourselves again in a ‘liminal space’ – not here, not there, not yet. Paul shows us how to recognize and navigate this moment, this movement that will reveal our hope.

Tune in. Bring some bread. Bring some wine. Bring a willing spirit and be healed.

See you Sunday for Online Church –