ONE CAN BE FORGIVEN IF BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE END OF A RATHER LONG DOCUMENT THEIR ATTENTION TO DETAIL HAS waned a little since there has already been so much to absorb. To do this with what we call Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, however, might just put us in position to miss some wonderful nuggets of truth, wisdom, and encouragement as we seek to live as God's faithful people. To do this would also rob us of some essential reminders that, if internalized and practiced, might go far in reducing the amount of hatred and violence (physical and rhetorical.)
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-11
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain.
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
A PASTORAL PLUNGE
TO SUPPORT THE COUNCIL ON AGING
SCOUTING SUNDAY - THIS WEEK!
BOY SCOUT TROOP 30
Whether physical or rhetorical, there is no denying that violence seems to be pretty prevalent in many parts of society, including those spaces that we thought were off-limits like schools and churches. There are times it seems we get hit day after day with some sort of hatred at work - and may begin to feel as though we are either powerless to stop it, or that we have played no role in the corrosiveness of our culture. Over the next couple of months, we are going to wade through some of the wisdom shared with the Christian community in the first generations of church. We will learn a little bit more about our responsibilities in the world in which we live; how our thoughts, actions, & attitudes towards ourselves, our fellow church members & others within the Christian community, those who may have differenting political, social, & moral views matter more than we realize; and how we are called not only to not participate in this corrosive mindset, but to be and to set an example of how to live as people who truly love God with everything they have and their neighbors as themselves.