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June 2009 Weaver - Pastor's page |
“You have heard it said…” Matthew 5:21 NRSV
I should tell you that I don't normally forward email chain letters. If you want them to continue don't send them to me. I often appreciate the content of them but I will just not pass them on. I don't believe sending them on will enhance my luck or not passing them bring me misfortune.
I thought of this as I was reading Matthew's Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount section. In the fifth chapter Jesus uses the words “You have heard it said…” In each case the hearers' current understanding of the phrase is reinterpreted to a present day (Jesus' day) understanding. Jesus is calling his listeners to take a deeper, harder look at what is being said or done.
In our age of instant communications we get many wrong or distorted messages and pass them on as the “real thing” or truth. We don't take time to flesh them out and see if they are true or not – we just push the send button and away they go into cyber space. Rumors are generated and perpetuated at an alarming rate. Would it hurt to take another minute or two to find out if there is any substance to them?
In our Bible Study on Prayer last week we discussed how people will believe in almost anything but prayer. They will read their astrological charts and plan their day by the stars – but ask them to pray, how foolish.
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A blog, 2churchmice.wordpress.com (my favorite), writes about the new trend in &ldspiritual” food – many companies are now interjecting “spirituality” into foods they sell and people are buying them. Sales of these “spiritual” foods are on the rise. Are they any better than other foods? Some must think they are.
Someone has passed on the “good” quality of these products, “You have heard it said…” Do we stop and read the labels? What makes this better than another? Would you buy one cereal over another if you knew that a clergy person had prayed and blessed one and not the other? It could still have bad nutritional content. Does prayer take away any bad nutrition? Of course not, but “you have heard it said…”
Jesus confronts his hearers with the misinformation of his day. Should we not confront our hearers with the misinformation of our day? We don't like it when someone contradicts or questions our favorite candidate, radio talk show host, etc. – but if we are true to the Gospel and to our Christ is that not what we must be doing? After all, “You have heard it said…”
Pastor Plourde
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June Scripture and Sermons
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June 7 – Communion
Proverbs 10:6-12; I Peter 4:1-11
“Stewards of Grace”
June 14
Daniel 3:19-27; I Peter 4:12-19
“Who Do You Think You Are?”
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June 21
Ezekiel 33:1-9; I Peter 5:1-11
“Shepherding 101”
June 28 – 10 AM Worship
The Rev. Bill Clarke, Preaching
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Diane and I want to thank you
for the opportunity for us to
attend the ABC Biennial in
Pasadena this month (June 28-30).
We will be driving down,
attending the Biennial and then
taking some time to visit with
friends and to recharge our batteries.
We will be gone from June 26 until
July 15. Some of this is vacation!
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We also want to thank the Rev. Bill Clarke
for his willingness to change jobs—from
our sound engineer to the pulpit for the
three Sundays we are away – thanks Bill!
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