Yesterday’s service was about the passage in Colossians 3 and 4 about husbands and wives, parents and kids, masters and slaves, etc. It wasn’t what you might think though.
They emphasised the context of the day, how Paul was writing this list using a known formula of the time but putting a Christian spin on it. He was writing from prison and so had to be careful what he wrote. He couldn’t outright go against the societal norms and Roman religion of the time or he’d have been immediately executed so he used an existing framework to plant seeds of change.
There were already lists like Paul wrote saying how people should behave but they were written to support the patriarchy with men in charge and being head of the household and everyone else below the man.
Paul used those lists but rewrote them to include women, children and slaves, and emphasised that everyone should love and respect each other as much as possible.
So the whole point of the passage wasn’t to define roles, but to encourage respect and love so that society could start moving away from the old, rigid, patriarchal, controlling norms, and moving towards a society based on equality and based on loving and supporting each other and building each other up. This was backed up by emphasising Colossians 3:11, that we are all one in Christ.
It was a good reminder to keep in mind the context of the times, places and situations in which the bible was written to make sure we get the real message behind the text, and not just reading the text itself.
Today was my first time physically going to church in several months! The Scripture reading was Jeremiah 8:18-9:1.
Jeremiah understood Gilead to be a place of healing and wholeness. Although King Josiah had re-discovered a copy of Deuteronomy, full of these religious statutes, the work that people needed to do came undone after Josiah died. Jeremiah wept for them, but it wasn’t in vain. Tears are water for the garden that needs to grow.
What might spring up from your tears? God can redeem anything and everything.
Back in church for the first time in months because I have trouble getting ready in time. My ADHD also makes me incredibly restless and fidgety in church. I try to take notes so I can focus on the sermon but no matter where I go I can’t get them all down fast enough.
A couple of Sundays ago my church service was about how we as sinful humans are helpless without Christ. We fail in so many ways that it is a miracle that Christ would think of dying for us. It just goes to show the amazing love of Jesus and how infinite his character is. My pastor also talked about that our key focus should not be on comfortability, but instead on living how Christ would want us to. The ultimate gift we can give God is our dedication and life for him
I’ve been struggling to even watch a service online, much less go in person, but I’m here about 15 minutes late.
Our sermon was about Jesus’s first disciples. They didn’t hang around the Temple; they were working-class guys trying to survive and make an honest living.
Jesus asked what they were looking for; they didn’t reply but immediately called him “Teacher” and asked where He was staying. They wanted to be right there with Him!
Jesus came to be WITH us, to show and model for us what community is like, so we can share it with others. He invites us to sit at the table with Him!
Our sermon was about hypocrisy - pretending to do things for God but actually doing them for your own glory. It mentioned the Sermon on the Mount and the following passage when Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites for praying aloud on the streets, etc.
It was a good reminder to make sure our heart and our focus is in the right place.
Struggling to get out of bed and out of the house to get to church on time. I was 20 minutes late but at least I’m here in person.
John 12:1-8
Mary was dealing with people who had nothing, but she used so much money to pay for her perfume. Jesus recognized that it was for His burial.
There’s something good about giving people flowers while they’re still alive.
Mary was going to give Him in death what He would never get in life. Why wait to celebrate him?
Martha: Traditional, doing what’s expected of her
Judas: Pretending (to be traditional)
Lazarus: Observing
Mary: Disrupting
Loving God will be disruptive in someone’s life. It doesn’t mean you’re wrong. Sometimes we need to get out of this slumber and be the only person to step up.
“We refuse to let the purse strings of the powerful dictate how we love one another.”
We don’t necessarily have to choose between justice and beauty. Beauty is still here in the world, in unexpected places! “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it”
Peter’s trying so hard not to be seen in a bad light. He lies repeatedly.
Jesus knew he would. Not calling him out, but calling him in. He was trying to help Peter.
Redemption
Jesus offers it freely; that made a lot of people mad but it invites us to share the Gospel.
Peter was called to build the Church, but he wanted to run away.
Where was everyone else, though? Peter wanted to blend in and be accepted by the people in the Temple, but he could believe when Jesus said “you are forgiven”
I am flawed but I get to be part of the Kingdom of God! Jesus is always there!
Everything has had a life and a purpose…then a redemption.
Simon of Cyrene came to Jerusalem to worship for Passover but found himself in the middle of state-sponsored violence. He was a random bystander picked to carry the Cross
Jesus didn’t talk to him. He told the people mourning to weep for themselves and their children instead of Himself. Simon had every reason to resent this situation but Jesus still offered compassion.
“My neighbors are not the people in my path but those whose path I am in”
“The cross is a paradoxical religious symbol because it inverts the world’s value system with the news that hope comes from defeat.”
