Saturday, January 31, 2009

Teachers and Preachers

Well the sermon is done on ! Corinthians 8 and I've been to this text before, it's a good one. As soon as we finish at the local idol meat butcher shop, we can go off to hear Jesus teach, "with authority". Who wouldn't be excited to hear Jesus teach and the interruption by a sick and possessed person is most unfortunate. Thank goodness Jesus heals him so quickly so we can return to listening and learning. After all what is more important that learning from the best there is!!
It's an individual's world we live in. "It's all about me" has been our motto since Reagan was in office and long before. It's not an easy thing to change. We rely on ourselves and value self-sufficiency. How can we change? How can we listen to Paul or Jesus and really hope to put other people before ourselves? How?
We're promised that we don't do it alone. Just as Jesus had the power to exorcise the demon, so too he can get rid of the demon of individualism so that we can live in community and care for community. This is good news.
And when we get too idealistic we can look closer and realize we have the responsibility to work with God for our transformation until we can leave the self-priority behind and limit our own freedoms for the sake of our sisters and brothers.
whew, i think I have a way to go.

No comments: