Introduction
Growing up every child has heard the common warnings “be careful”, “don’t touch that”, and the crowd favorite “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” from their care givers. As you aged the warnings also matured to things like “I’m not going to tell you again” and “don’t make me turn this car around”. Mark and I are currently in the stage of “no, no, no” with Talia as she plunges her hand into the dog food bowl for the fifth time that day. It’s exhausting trying to protect others and help them make wise choices while balancing the innate autonomy someone has to learn things on their own. 1 Corinthians feels like one long letter from Paul saying “how many times do I have to tell you?” until he’s blue in the face. So, what lessons were Paul trying to teach (and reteach) to the Corinthians and how can we learn (and relearn) from them today?
Let’s relearn some lessons together this week,
Grace and peace,
Shannon Barrowcliff and the teaching team
Text:
A Confession from John 15 (the message)
Reader: Jesus declared he is the Real Vine and his Father is the Farmer, that every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. That if we live in him -make our home in him just as He does in us, the harvest is sure to be abundant.
Everyone: Jesus we make our home in you and you make yours in us. Make this Church good soil for the Vine to take root and the branches to bear fruit.
Reader: Jesus told us the tree will be judged by the fruit.
Everyone: Give us hands to tend the soil, hearts to endure the pruning and ears to hear the song that gives us hope.
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.
