- From the Life of the Early Church: Acts 11:1-18
- Psalm 148 (VU p.871)
- From the Gospel: John 13:31-35
The Hymns this week are:
- #574 Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love
- #372 Though I May Speak
- #333 Love Divine, All Love’s Excelling
- #427 To Show by Touch and Word
The Sermon title is Old Rules, New Twists
Early Thoughts: But that isn't how it is supposed to work!!! What happens when new interpretations of life and rules stare you full in the face?
To a certain extent that was a crucial question for the early Jesus-movement. As word of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus started to spread through Roman Palestine and beyond more people were drawn to the movement. But did non-Jews have to become Jews first? To answer that question meant looking at old rules. The answer that came to be used meant new twists on old thoughts.
Despite the fact that John's GOspel uses the phrase "a new commandment" the commandment to love your neighbour was not new. It is in fact found in the book of Leviticus (19:19). It is an old rule, one that all the Gospels agree Jesus gave a position of great prominence in Kingdom Life. The new twist was in the interpretaion of who was covered under the rule.
AS times change we need to keep evaluating our old rules. We need to be open to ask if they are still useful. We need to be ready for the possibility that God is throwing a new twist into life, one that may require a re-evaluation of the way we implement the rule (assumong that is that the old rule is still relevant and not in need of being discarded completely).
In your life today where do you find new twists staring you in the face? What old rules are you questioning????
--Gord
No comments:
Post a Comment