Yesterday I heard something that disturbed me - in fact it made me see red. I discovered that one of our members has made some racist comments. In the past two years Mt. Bethel has become more diverse in its membership and we even recieved a 7-member African-American family into the congregation just a few weeks ago. Somehow, one of my members still thinks it's 1964. I didn't hear the comment directly and I'm partly glad about that. If I had been present, the situation wouldn't have been pretty.
This morning, I'm preaching from 1 Peter 2: 2-10. This is the text usually reserved for arguments about predestination, but I'm focusing more on other parts of the text today. Peter speaks of Christ being the living stone, rejected by the builders, but held precious by God and used as the capstone or cornerstone. Peter also suggests that we are living stones like Christ, constructed into a spiritual house.
Across history, stones have been assembled for different purposes. Some structures have been more permanent than others and each has had it's own purpose. I was captured this week by stories of structures that were designed for one purpose and eventually came to serve another - for instance, there are old Soviet bunkers and barracks in Eastern Europe that were once used to persecute Christians that are now being used for church houses.
I'm tired of hearing bigoted comments. This year's election of a new president has brought out more of those remarks than I believe I've heard in my previous 28 years of living. I've heard people that profess faith in Christ make some of the most damaging, hurtful comments in these last months and I've about had enough. Are we the church, or just another bunker? Are we the wall that keeps people out or are we the doorway to Christ?
Outside of praying and doing my best to preach and teach hope, peace, love, and harmony, I'm trying to figure out what to do about confonting certain narrowsightedness. If one of these living stones becomes a detriment, how long do you try to reshape it before you simply remove it? When that point comes, how do you remove it?
This morning, I'm preaching from 1 Peter 2: 2-10. This is the text usually reserved for arguments about predestination, but I'm focusing more on other parts of the text today. Peter speaks of Christ being the living stone, rejected by the builders, but held precious by God and used as the capstone or cornerstone. Peter also suggests that we are living stones like Christ, constructed into a spiritual house.
Across history, stones have been assembled for different purposes. Some structures have been more permanent than others and each has had it's own purpose. I was captured this week by stories of structures that were designed for one purpose and eventually came to serve another - for instance, there are old Soviet bunkers and barracks in Eastern Europe that were once used to persecute Christians that are now being used for church houses.
I'm tired of hearing bigoted comments. This year's election of a new president has brought out more of those remarks than I believe I've heard in my previous 28 years of living. I've heard people that profess faith in Christ make some of the most damaging, hurtful comments in these last months and I've about had enough. Are we the church, or just another bunker? Are we the wall that keeps people out or are we the doorway to Christ?
Outside of praying and doing my best to preach and teach hope, peace, love, and harmony, I'm trying to figure out what to do about confonting certain narrowsightedness. If one of these living stones becomes a detriment, how long do you try to reshape it before you simply remove it? When that point comes, how do you remove it?
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