Introduction
Jane and I celebrated 35 years of marriage September 3rd. We were able to get away to Colorado together and had lots of time to talk, reflect, ask deep questions about where we are and how it is with those we love. We had time to sit and dream about what might come next. Not once in our conversations did one of us say something like “remember, no fooling around with anyone else” or “If you don’t keep holding up your end of the responsibilities, I’m outta here”. It’s not that those things are no longer important, in many ways they are more important than ever, and there are still things I struggle with doing and not doing. It’s more that the longer we’ve practiced those good things and said no to the destructive ones, the more free we are to focus on the things that marriage allows for, invites us to. There’s a freedom that comes from surviving together for this long.
I think that kind of freedom is what Paul dreams of for the little group of saints in Corinth. He longs for them to grow into the kind of hard won resilience and maturity that come from sustained the practice of living lives rooted in Jesus and guided by an active gospel imagination. He longs for them to be free from all the harmful habits, distorted affections and compromised imaginations of life apart from God, in compromised community and fractured individuality.
But dang y’all, it sure looks like they have a long way to go to get there, and we can feel Paul’s exasperation. What about us? Let’s dig in this week and through the rest of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians to see what we can find.
Grace and peace y’all,
John Ray and the teaching team
Text:
Communal Confession for Vine and Branch
Rejoice, Grace Church this time culminates our Sabbath day, our gift of rest and renewal.
We rejoice in this time for worship and wonder.
God gives us Sabbath as freedom from and freedom for.
God is worthy of worship, our Creator, Healer, and Inspiration.
Hang on Grace Church, we were never promised an easy road.
Jesus bids each and all of us to take up our cross and follow Him.
We have the promises and person of Jesus with us every step of the way.
Because we have this we will endure, even though we struggle.
We have the testimony of those who have gone before us to encourage and enlighten us.
Because we have this we will follow their example and receive their encouragement.
We have been given each other to rejoice with, grieve with, grow with and work with.
Because we have this community and all these things we will not lose heart or be forever discouraged.
Grace be to you now and forever in the Name of our Lord Jesus
Lord’s Prayer
Christ, who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who’ve sinned against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
