Your Blog Steward
- Scott Frederickson
- Omaha, Nebraska, United States
- I am more and more convinced that most congregations die from a staggering lack of imagination. Let's change that. Let's imagine a creative future with God and each other together. Drop me a line on email or leave a comment if you have thoughts on God, Jesus, congregations, the church or whatever.... I look forward to our conversations.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Advent means walking with grace
I like this sermon for three reasons:
1) It takes seriously a world that is out there trying to kill us...
2) It takes seriously the reality that God blesses us in Jesus, and frees us to love our neighbors
3) It's got some jokes
What risks does your faith inspire you to take? How do you reach beyond your comforts to be a presence of peace in a world of violence and hatred? Whom would you walk with tomorrow who could use a friend?
Advent is the New Year of the Church year, and as we begin 2016, I wish you a Happy New Year (and the presence of peace.)
May your tables be full and your conversations be true.
Why do YOU go to church?
Reading about religion on the internet or hearing about it on media, the major assumption seems to be the people have religion in order to work on social issues. People go to church, mosque, or temple (or even the mountains) to work on some problem brewing within our culture these days. Maybe it's racism, maybe guns, maybe abortion, maybe wage equality...there's many, and each page or click or show seems to trumpet a faith that seeks its fulfillment in some type of social activity.It's almost like the social gospel is the only gospel.
But I wonder...
You see, each week about 300 people come to hear me preach. What do they come to hear? A story from my whacked-out life, and how I experienced the grace of God, and the power of salvation, and the gift of freedom from something crazy I did? Maybe. (I do tell a good story.)
Do they come because they want to hear how to balance their faith with this current insert current political, social, economic crisis here? Maybe. Although you would only ever come once to one of my sermons, because although I often reference the "world" and its problems in my sermons, I never offer advice on the morality or ethics of the situation.
If they come to hear me preach (and I am willing to entertain that few, if any, actually do), judging by my sermons they must want to hear about equality of creation, freedom to love, and God, the Creator Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And baptism and communion. Because that is all I preach about.
And that's precisely the stuff that never makes it on the internet pages or media shows. If the internet were to die, Christianity (and I assume other religions as well) would be just fine. If there was never another TV or radio or podcast of religion, Christianity would be just fine. Because none of that stuff is important to Christianity. Never has been. Christianity has always been about the love God shows us in Jesus Christ, and the power of freedom we have in the Holy Spirit to love God, our neighbors, and even our own selves. You don't need the internet for that. (and thanks for reading this on the internet)
May your tables be full and your conversations be true.
But I wonder...
You see, each week about 300 people come to hear me preach. What do they come to hear? A story from my whacked-out life, and how I experienced the grace of God, and the power of salvation, and the gift of freedom from something crazy I did? Maybe. (I do tell a good story.)
Do they come because they want to hear how to balance their faith with this current insert current political, social, economic crisis here? Maybe. Although you would only ever come once to one of my sermons, because although I often reference the "world" and its problems in my sermons, I never offer advice on the morality or ethics of the situation.
If they come to hear me preach (and I am willing to entertain that few, if any, actually do), judging by my sermons they must want to hear about equality of creation, freedom to love, and God, the Creator Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And baptism and communion. Because that is all I preach about.
And that's precisely the stuff that never makes it on the internet pages or media shows. If the internet were to die, Christianity (and I assume other religions as well) would be just fine. If there was never another TV or radio or podcast of religion, Christianity would be just fine. Because none of that stuff is important to Christianity. Never has been. Christianity has always been about the love God shows us in Jesus Christ, and the power of freedom we have in the Holy Spirit to love God, our neighbors, and even our own selves. You don't need the internet for that. (and thanks for reading this on the internet)
May your tables be full and your conversations be true.
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